Lost and Found
by Soului
Summary: Crossover between Xmen and Forgotten Realms. Is Storm all she seems to be? Please read. Moved over from Misc. in hope of more reviews. May contain some AU. May be some violence later, so rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own. You know the drill.

Spoilers: This story takes place after the Hunter's Blades Trilogy in the Drizzt series and sometime after the first movie in X-men.

Summary: This is a crossover story between X-men and R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt series in the Forgotten Realms. Just an idea that got in my mind one day and wouldn't leave. For those of you who've never heard of Drizzt Do'Urden, here's an overview.

Drizzt Do'Urden is a drow, or dark elf. His race has black skin, exotically angled features, white hair, and is externally very beautiful. The drow are a race of elves who live underground in a maze of tunnels and caverns called the underdark beneath a realm called Fearun, where they were driven centuries ago in a war against their cousins the surface elves. The reason for the war being that while the surface elves were kind and good, the drow were evil. After the war, the Spider Queen, Lolth, Goddess of Chaos, became the drow deity and they have pretty much been under her extremely evil thumb ever since. Drizzt however is a drow who maintained his principles with the help of his father Zaknafein (who sacrificed himself for his son), renounced his people and fled to the surface were he has lived for several decades. He is a ranger, following the goddess of the forest, Mielikki. Needless to say, the Spider Queen is not happy with him. During his travels he made friends with a halfling thief named Regis, a human barbarian called Wulfgar, a dwarf king named Bruenor, and Bruenor's adopted human daughter called Cattie-Brie, who he fell in love with. He also has possession of an onyx statue of a panther, which can call his oldest friend, the astral entity of a panther named Guenwyvar. Oh, and his most distinctive features are his purple eyes, since most of his race's eyes are red.

AU WARNING: For the purposes of this story, Drizzt and Cattie-Brie got married soon after the Hunter's Blades Trilogy ended. They have a son that they named Zaknafein (of course), and are now expecting their second child.

So without further delay, here's the first chapter.

It was a fine, spring day in the realm of Fearun, the trees were in leaf; the birds were singing; the air was fresh; and orc activities were, if not non-existent, then at a tolerable low. But to the dwarves of Mithril Hall it may as well have been raining. In fact, the atmosphere within the fortress was so tense as to be cut with a knife, and in the throne room, King Bruenor Battlehammer, 8th and 10th king of Mithril Hall, had been pacing all morning.

"You're going to wear the floor out." Commented a voice from a rather large and comfortable armchair by the fire.

"When I'm wantin' yer opinion Rumblebelly, be sure I'll be askin' for it!" Retorted Bruenor with out so much as a glance in the halfling's direction. "What's takin' so long?" He asked the air for about the thousandth time that day, "How long does it take to deliver one stinkin' kid?"

Regis just shook his head at his friend's antics. Bruenor had been like this when Zak had been born too, and at least this time he hadn't turned to ale to pass the time, the halfling reminded himself with a grimace. He tried not to think about the scene a few years ago when Drizzt had came into this same room to announce Zak's birth, only to find Bruenor stone cold drunk on the floor! The chubby halfling looked over to Wulfgar, who was sitting across from him with said young half-drow asleep on his lap, and smiled.

The barbarian smiled back before addressing their rather volatile dwarven friend. "I'll be sure to let Drizzt and Cattie-Brie know that you think their new son or daughter smells." He said in a light-hearted tone.

_That_ stopped Bruenor's pacing. Abruptly he turned to Wulfgar, sputtering, "That's not…I'm not fer sayin'……Ye knew what I meant!" He ended, resuming his pacing with a scowl.

Regis and Wulfgar simply shared another smile behind the grumbling king's back.

Meanwhile, in a brightly lit room farther within the fortress, Cattie-Brie Battlehammer lay on a comfortable bed, propped up by comfortable pillows, but she was anything but comfortable.

"Ahh." She cried as another contraction hit and she tightly gripped the ebon skinned hand of her husband, all the while looking into his concerned, violet eyes. She was barely aware of the dwarven priestess, who was speaking to her from the end of the bed.

"Easy me girl, you're almost done, one more push ought to do it. Ready?" Cattie-Brie nodded. "That's me girl, Push!"

"Ahhhh," Cattie-Brie screamed again, squeezing Drizzt's hand so tight his normally blacker than black skin turned a light shade of grey.

Halfway through her cry another joined her, higher and younger, but every bit as strong. Cattie-Brie collapsed against the soft pillows behind her, chest heaving, auburn hair plastered against her sweaty face, but her blue eyes bright. Blue met purple again as her husband smiled at her at tenderly removed a strand of hair from her cheek. Both turned as the priestess spoke again, "Congratulations Drizzt, Cattie-Brie it's a girl," as she placed a small bundle of cloth in the waiting Cattie-Brie's arms, then stepped back to give the couple some privacy as they looked upon their second child.

"She's beautiful." Breathed Cattie-Brie, and then put a look of mock dismay on her face. "Ye would think after all I've been through, one of the two kids would take after me, at least a little!"

For indeed, the small child's skin was every bit as dark and her hair every bit as light as her father's and Zak may well have been a younger, though perhaps slightly paler, version of Drizzt with his fine features and purple eyes.

Drizzt smiled down at his wife. "Not true my love, her skin is dark but look at her features, they are your own. And I'm sure the blue eyes didn't come from my side of the family!" They both shared a chuckle. "And she's not beautiful," murmured the ranger, "She's perfect."

After a few moments of contented silence Drizzt spoke again, "Well, I suppose I should go tell the others the good news. I only hope that Bruenor is sober enough to understand me this time!" He laughed.

"I suppose you should." Agreed the woman.

Drizzt slipped into the hall, leaving Cattie-Brie alone in the room with her new daughter. "Welcome to Feaurun," she whispered, "My little Ororo."

A/N: By now I hope you can see where I'm going with this. Anyway let me know what you think, press the little review button please! Constructive criticism is welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Only one review?! I'm crushed. Is it really that bad?

Oh well. To the one person who did review, thank you so much!! As to Storm being a cleric of Tempus, I don't really know, I hadn't really thought about that angle. Anyway, you'll just have to wait and see. Oh, and for those of you who don't read the Drizzt books, Lady Alustriel is the ruler of the city of Silverymoon. She's an old friend of Drizzt and Cattie-Brie and she is a chosen of Mystra (the goddess of magic). Which kind of means she's the daughter of the goddess. (For those of you who know what a chosen is, sorry, I know it's more complicated then that but I couldn't think how to explain it in a concise form). The Harpells are a family of Wizards that have befriended Drizzt and Cattie-Brie.

On to chapter 2! As usual, I own nothing that you recognize.

If one thing could be said about the dwarves of Mithril Hall, it would be this; they know how to throw a party. But even by dwarven standards, the naming day celebration for Ororo Do'Urden was raucous. Guests and old friends from all over the region came to feast, drink, and congratulate the proud parents on their fine daughter. Ororo was cooed over, pampered, passed around more times then can be counted, and of course, showered with naming day gifts. Gifts that included everything from an enchanted book that played lullabies when opened (the Harpells), to a delicate necklace from Bruenor with Ororo's name carved into it. The greatest present, however, came from the High Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon on the 3rd day of the celebration.

"Alustriel!" Cried Cattie-Brie, moving to embrace the silver haired woman. "We're so glad ye could make it!"

"I could hardly miss _this_," replied Alustriel with a smile, nodding a greeting to Drizzt a few feet away, "I would never forgive myself. Besides my lady came to me in sleep a few nights ago and bid me give young Ororo a gift on her behalf."

Every eye in the room widened. "_Mystra_ bid you…" Cattie-Brie whispered dumbfounded, "But why, and what gift?"

"A great power," answered the Lady gravely, "That when she calls even the skies themselves will answer. As to why, I don't know."

Alustriel lowered her eyes and spoke softly, almost to herself. "Mystra doesn't bestow such power lightly. Whatever the reason, my lady must believe it necessary." She looked up at the couple. "I'll not press you, it's your choice whether to accept this."

Drizzt and Cattie-Brie looked at each other. "The Lady's right," murmured Cattie-Brie, "the Gods don't be givin' gifts without reason."

"And the reasons of Gods are not ours to know." Reminded her husband. "Ever has Mystra been a goodly deity, and worthy of trust." He looked up at Alustriel, waiting patiently for their answer. "Very well," he said, "We'll accept this gift, and Mystra has our thanks."

The ranger picked up his sleeping daughter and deposited her gently in the Lady's arms. He then took his wife's hand and stepped back a few feet to give the Lady room for whatever working she was about to do.

Alustriel looked down at the perfect little child in her arms, her lips turned up in a gentle smile as she began to speak. "Ororo Do'Urden, blessed child, by the will of Mystra and by the power invested in me as her chosen, may the gift ordained for you pass to you now."

As she finished she bent and placed a kiss upon Ororo's brow. As soon as their flesh met, Ororo woke and seemed to glow. Silver energy swirled around the two. Electricity crackled from the ends of the little girl's soft baby hair and for just an instant, Ororo's eyes turned as white as her hair. Outside the fortress, there was a sudden roaring sound. Everyone looked up at the previously blue sky, now filled with heavy clouds that boiled and rolled violently, lit from within by strikes of lightning. Then suddenly, as quick as it had come, it was gone. The sky was once again blue, the air quiet, the silver energy was gone, and Ororo's eye's once again matched the azure sky outside.

A tired Alustriel handed the now giggling little half-drow back to her mother, whose eyes might have fallen out of their sockets were they any bigger. She wasn't the only one either. Everyone in the room shared in a shocked and awe filled silence until Regis, in typical Regis fashion, piped up.

"Well, that was interesting."

A/N: I apologize to my **one** reviewer (hint hint, hit the little review button please!!!). I was honestly thinking about your suggestion to have Storm as a cleric of Tempus, but this just seemed to make more sense. Anyway, I don't actually know what colour Storm's eye's are normally, so any anomaly you see, put it down to AU. I'll explain how she ends up in the X-Men universe next chapter. I hope to have it up soon. Until then, I could use some reviews please!!


	3. Chapter 3

Last Chapter:

"_I could hardly miss this," replied Alustriel with a smile, nodding a greeting to Drizzt a few feet away, "I would never forgive myself. Besides my lady came to me in sleep a few nights ago and bid me give young Ororo a gift on her behalf."_

_Every eye in the room widened. "Mystra bid you…" Cattie-Brie whispered dumbfounded, "But why, and what gift?"_

"A great power," answered the Lady gravely, "That when she calls even the skies themselves will answer. As to why, I don't know."

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men or Forgotten Realms, or anything else you recognize.

Chapter 3

Deep in the Abyss, in the layer known more commonly as the Demonweb Pits, a beautiful female drow reclined upon a silken web staring intently upon the scying device in front of her. Chin resting in her slender hand, she frowned thoughtfully at the image before her, or more specifically, at the conversation she had just heard.

"What are you playing at Mystra?" She inquired of the rank air. "This is none of your concern."

"Perhaps she wishes to thwart you Mistress." Said a seemingly shapeless yellow blob from the drow's right.

"Perhaps," agreed Lolth with an evil smile to her handmaiden, "But even mighty Mystra should know better then to interfere in the business of others. Either way, it is of no consequence and changes our plans not at all."

With a lazy gesture she banished the images in front of her and rose. "This will be especially sweet. Revenge, after all, is a dish best served cold. I have allowed the Do'Urden renegade years of peace and false security. I'm sure he may even think I have forgotten about him."

"A foolish notion Mistress." Interjected the horrific blob.

"Indeed." Lolth smiled. "This night I will steal this half-breed daughter of his away and raise her properly, as a _drow_ should be raised. When she is ready, I'll see that she kills her traitor of a father. But not before he knows exactly who is holding the blade within his chest!" Lolth's grin grew wide. "How sweet the irony, to be killed by his own _beloved_ daughter."

Mithril Hall was quiet that night. The celebration had finally wound down and the Do'Urden family had settled down for some badly needed rest. Drizzt had his arm tightly wrapped around his sleeping wife while Ororo dreamt her newborn dreams in a cradle at the foot of their bed. Zak likewise slumbered in an adjoining room. Not even the ranger's fine hearing sensed the black portal opening in midair against the far wall. Nor did he notice as one of the Spider Queen's minions slipped out of the portal and moved, squinting at the uncomfortable light, towards Ororo's cradle. She barely stirred as she was picked up, nor when the minion began to move back to the portal. Perhaps in some way though she realized what was happening, for they were almost at the wall when Ororo let out an earsplitting shriek

Immediately awake and alert for danger, Drizzt leapt for his nearby weapons. The fiend jumped for the open portal as the ranger moved desperately to cut it off. As fast as he was though, he was too slow. He barely managed to get in a few cuts at the creature's retreating back before the portal closed, taking his only daughter with it.

"Ororo!" Cried Cattie-Brie, leaping up from the bed. She stared in horror at the last place she had seen her daughter.

"I'm going to get Alustriel." Said Drizzt, already halfway to the door.

Cattie-Brie quickly followed, rage and determination already glowing in her eyes. As the two ran down the hallway to the lady's room. Drizzt sent up a silent prayer, "_Please let Ororo be alright. Please Mielikki, don't let anything happen to her!"_

Meanwhile, in the gray emptiness between worlds, Lolth waited for her minion's return. Anticipation tingled up her spine. Finally, after all these years, she would have revenge on the insolent whelp that caused her so much embarrassment. A cruel smile touched her lips as she saw the creature's shape materialize in front of her, clutching a small bundle of cloth.

"Excellent," she purred to her minion, "You've done well. Now be gone!"

Obediently, the minion bowed and disappeared into the gray. Lolth was about to follow when she heard a voice say coldly from behind her. "What do you think you're doing?"

Lolth turned to see a tanned, fit female of indiscernible race regarding her with arms crossed and a scowl upon her fair face. Beside the newcomer was a unicorn, obviously agitated, pawing the ground and lowering it's horn as if to charge.

"Mielikki," Lolth spat, taken aback but not wanting the other to know it, "I was wondering if you would show yourself."

"Lolth," the other acknowledged with a nod, "Care to _explain _why you are holding my ranger's daughter? There must be some misunderstanding, she should be on the material plane. To come after her with mortal minions would be allowable of course." Mielikki reasoned in a falsely pleasant tone. "But direct interference is not. You know that as well as I, so I can't fathom why she would be in your possession. Unless you are returning her." Mielikki's voice was once again ice.

"I don't think so." Replied Lolth, black energy lancing out of her free hand. "If you want her so badly, you should come get her."

The Spider Queen's only reply was a bolt of green energy into her face. Lolth shrieked in fury, returning the attack tenfold. "How dare you!! How dare you attack me!! The Spider Queen, Mistress of Chaos!!"

And so it went, with each display of power more mighty and frightening than the rest. Yet after many minutes, neither had gained much on the other. Suddenly a new idea came to the Spider Queen. Her eye's lit up and a cruel smile once again graced her lips. "If I cannot have her, no one can!" She hissed. "I'll still have my revenge."

With that Lolth wound up, and before Mielikki could stop her, _threw_ the child as hard as she could through the gray nothingness. "I challenge even you to find her now." Smiled the drow before vanishing from sight, leaving a stunned Mielikki to look helplessly in the direction where Ororo had disappeared.

Ororo spun through the cold blankness for a very long time, for in this place time had very little meaning. Perhaps she would've been lost forever had it not been for a portal opening up into a strange world not far from her. As it was, Ororo was sucked through into a world very different from the one she was born in.

Cairo, Egypt:

An old woman wandered aimlessly through the streets, stopping now and then to pick through garbage. Seeing if any food had been thrown away. She was halfway through one such trash heap when she heard a strange roaring sound. Suddenly the wind picked up, plastering her threadbare clothes against her body. She hesitantly turned the corner into another ally to see….a baby, wrapped in fine blankets. As she approached the infant she noticed two things, first, it was a girl, second, she had a strange and expensive looking necklace around her neck. The old woman bent down for a better look. The necklace had a single word engraved upon it, _Ororo_.

"Ororo huh?" Muttered the old woman. "That would be you then little one?"

She sighed, looking up at the sky. "Goodness knows I can only feed myself, but mother always said that when you get a sign from the Gods, do as it says. If this isn't a sign I don't know what is."

Ororo took this time to start crying. "All right little one," Murmured the old woman. "Let's find you something to eat."

A/N: I don't actually know that much about Storm's past, only that she was a thief in Cairo. Once again, any anomalies are to be put down to AU. Once again, ANY feedback is welcome, review please!!!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Ok, now I'm really getting annoyed. I've only gotten 2 reviews, and they're from the same person! Is there anyone out there reading this!? Please let me know. At this point I don't care if you love it or hate it, I just want some feed back. I'll even accept flames right now. Anyway, back to the story. There's a bit of a time gap between this chapter and the previous one (it was unavoidable). I don't actually know how Ororo met Prof. X, so a lot of this will probably be AU.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own.

Chapter 4

Nine-year old Ororo ran through the crowded streets of Cairo, her bare feet seeming to glide over the packed dirt with an almost inhuman grace. Her breath came in measured gasps as she plunged deeper into the bowels of the city, and every so often she would look over her shoulder for the pursuing police officers. Such pursuits were familiar to the young pickpocket, ever since old Rasha had passed away; situations like this had been the norm. Ororo felt her eyes fill up with tears at the thought of the old woman who had raised her for the first five years of life. Rasha had been the closest thing to a mother that Ororo had ever had. Not only had Rasha given her food and shelter, she had taught the young girl how to survive on the streets, where the best places to bed down for the night were, the places to avoid, how to make enough money for the things they needed, and how to steal the things they couldn't afford. Those early years had been the best of Ororo's life, not because she had had more food or material comforts, she hadn't, but because she had had a friend, a mentor who loved and understood her. Ever since the old woman had succumbed to the strange rasping cough she had suffered for weeks before her demise, Ororo had been alone. She remembered that day vividly. Rasha had been getting sicker for some time, every day it seemed to take a little more effort for the old woman to rise in the morning, every day her already thin frame seemed to dwindle. By the end, Ororo had been more taking care of Rasha than the other way around. It had been about noon and Ororo had been out in the market all morning, trying to filch some food for herself and the poor ailing woman. The take had actually been fairly decent that day. The market had been busier than usual and with the sheer number of customers it had been easy for the diminutive thief to sneak in unnoticed and sneak out with a loaf of bread. There had even been some fresh fruit, including Rasha's favorite, apples. Pleased with her haul, Ororo threw back the flap of the little shack she had erected once it became clear that Rasha was too sick to move.

"Rasha, you'll never guess what I found in the market today."

She looked over to the heap of rags that served as the old woman's bed, noticing for the first time how abnormally still she was lying. "Rasha?"

The little girl ran over to her mentor's side, feeling desperately for a pulse, but the effort was wasted; Rasha was gone and had been for hours if the stiffness of her body was any indication. Ororo didn't scream though, or cry Rasha's name, or fall down beating her hands against the floor, her grief was beyond that. She just sat there, crying softly. Outside, storm clouds gathered in the previously cloudless sky as if summoned. Lightning flashed and rain began to rain in torrents that would be more suited for a rainforest than a desert. The storm lasted all that day and throughout the night. Even after it ended, the next week was unseasonably cold, some nights coming below freezing, and for that entire week, no one saw the sun. Local meteorologists were at a total lack, but Storm knew. Rasha had always told her that she was special, sent by the God's themselves, but she had never felt or done anything the least bit unusual save her slightly pointed ears. Until Rasha died that is, after that the power was always there, waiting just under the surface so that she wondered how she had never noticed it before. She would have traded all that power in a minute though, if it meant that Rasha were still there.

Tears flowed freely now down her cheeks as she ran, reducing the street around her to a multicolored blur. With her vision so impaired and her mind focused in the past instead of where she was going, she hardly recognized that there was an obstacle in front of her before she hit a wall of flesh and fell back onto the street. Wiping her eyes, she looked up at said "wall of flesh", also known as a middle-aged man with a baldhead and piercing, intelligent eyes. Just then, the police officers who had been chasing her broke through the crowd.

"There you are you little rat! This'll be the last time I'm chasin' you through the streets. I've got you now!"

Ororo's eyes filled with fear. She had been stealing food for her entire life, but she had only been stupid enough to get caught twice. In Cairo, justice was run on a three-strike system as far as petty crime was concerned. This was her third strike, if she didn't find a way to escape, she would loose a hand. She began to struggle fiercely against the grip of the officers, to do avail. Desperately, she called upon her powers. Her eyes shone a pure white while the wind began to whip around her. Before she could build it up to hurricane force though, thus giving her an opportunity to escape, her captor's rough handling broke her fragile concentration. The wind died down to normal immediately. The officers continued to drag her down the street without a second thought to the odd phenomena. After all, there were always strange drafts and breezes through the narrow streets of Cairo. Fortunately for Ororo, there was one in that street who recognized power when he saw it.

"Wait," the man who she ran into cried suddenly. "Where are you taking her?"

"Who, this little rat?" One officer laughed, looking back. "She's a thief, we got a lot like her around here. We're takin' her to the jail, where scum like her belong."

"I see," replied the man. "As much I usually avoid interfering in the law, I have to wonder, what would it take to erase her previous indiscretions?"

"Huh?" The Cairo police force obviously didn't hire on basis of intelligence.

The man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "How much must I pay in exchange for her freedom?" He rephrased patiently.

The officers gaped at him. "You want to pay for _her_ sir? She's nothing but a petty thief!"

"Never the less, it's my money and I will decide how I wish it spent. Now, how much?"

The officers looked at each other. One stroked his chin. "Well now, that depends. Goodness knows she ain't worth a lot, on the other hand, we sure aren't supposed to take bribes."

He looked at the man expectantly. The man just sighed again, and then reached into his shirt pocket ("Smart," thought Ororo. "Harder to steal.") And retrieved his wallet. "Would $75 American do it?"

The Officer's eyes lit up. "Why sir, I think it would." He looked down at the girl he was restraining. "Looks like it's your lucky day rat. But if I catch you down here again, I'll take the hand off myself."

"I'll keep that in mind." Snapped Ororo, snatching her arms out of their grip.

The policemen glared at her the entire time while they got their money and left. Then it was only Ororo and the strange man who had just saved her. For a moment they simply regarded each other, then the man broke the silence. "I suppose I should introduce myself, my name is Professor Charles Xavier."

Ororo just looked at him, absorbing the information. "Why did you help me?" She finally asked.

Professor Xavier's lip twitched in amusement. "Now, that is the question I hoped you would ask, and the answer's really quite simple. Those of us who are, unique shall we say, must stick together."

Ororo's back straightened involuntarily. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Xavier laughed, "Truly? Do you not think I know power when I see it? You have no need to fear me, if I wanted you hurt I would've let the police take you." The little thief could hardly argue with that reasoning. "You are a mutant, like me, most likely with powers effecting your environment from what I saw." He looked away for a moment as if he were seeing more than just the world around him. "Weather hmmm? You're a very talented person."

If possible, Ororo's back got straighter. "Get out of my head." She whispered, having already figured out that he was a telepath.

"My apologies." He said, genuinely sounding contrite. "I didn't mean to intrude, but you are a very interesting child, I'm afraid I have a habit of letting my curiosity get the better of me." He gave her an appraising look. "There was more to my aid than simple kindness I'm afraid, but I'm sure you suspected that. The truth is, I have a proposition for you."

"What kind of proposition?" The girl asked.

He smiled. "You live on the street, you've always lived on the street. Your only mentor and parent figure died when you were five. You rarely sleep in the same place and even more rarely come across anything legally. What I am offering will ensure you'll never have to live on the street again." The gaze he rested on Ororo was full of compassion. "Ororo, I run a school in America for people with unique gifts. A place where people such as you or I can have a home among others like us, a place where we can teach you how to control your powers."

"And if I say no?" Ororo asked.

"Then we go our separate ways." The look in eyes said that he didn't want that to happen. "I want to help you, will you let me?"

Ororo felt herself melt under his kind gaze. It had been so long since someone had cared about her, so long since she'd had a family. Besides, realistically, there was nothing for her in Cairo but more of the same life she had led since Rasha's death. The thought of her "mother" was what decided her; Rasha had always wanted more for her than a street life.

She looked up at the Professor and uttered one word. "Ok."

A/N: Wow, this was a hard one to write, it just didn't want to flow. There was actually one point where I looked back and realized I had slipped into 1st person POV, so I had to go back and fix everything. Oh, well, I think it finally turned out well. However, as I've mentioned before, I NEED REVIEWS!!!! If the only feedback I'm going to get is from my family, I might as well just write it and show it to them only. I'm actually getting quite aggravated. I started writing fics to improve myself as an author, not that I'm not enjoying it but I have other things to do! At the risk of me abandoning this story PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! It takes like 30 seconds! Come on!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I know I haven't been very quick with updating this story, and I'm sorry to say that it's probably going to get slower, if I update at all. I just got a job in a remote location and I'm not sure if there'll be Internet there, so you may not hear from me much for the next 4 months. On the bright side, the reason it's so slow updating is that none of it's pre-written, I'm uploading as I write. Hopefully, when I get back I'll have a lot of stuff written so I can put it up a bit more regularly, both on this and my other stories.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own. You know the drill.

Chapter 5

Ororo looked out the windshield at her new home, the mansion looming out of the fog like some sort of great ivy covered beast. Everything about this place was strange to her; the fog, the cold, the buildings themselves, there was nothing even remotely similar to Cairo's sandy streets. 'What am I doing?' She asked herself for about the millionth time since she had agreed to come to America. 'I've known this man for what, a week? Now I'm suddenly going to live with him in a house that could probably fit all the homeless of Cairo with room to spare! I know nothing about him! He could be a serial rapist for all I know!'

But still, there was something about this Professor Xavier, something that said he was trustworthy. By all intents and purposes, Ororo should have laughed in his face when he offered her a place in this so-called school of his, but one didn't survive alone on the streets of Cairo without developing a sixth sense about other people and their intentions. So far, nothing about Xavier had triggered that sense in the least. Maybe it was his eyes, yes that was it. Rasha had always told her that a person's eyes were the windows to their soul, and the professor's eyes had held nothing but kindness for her from the moment they met. It was almost tangible, like a warm blanket that wrapped around her at the merest glance. With the exception of her late guardian, she had never met anyone who honestly wanted to give her anything without getting something back in return. But the Professor practically radiated sincerity when he told her he just wanted to help her, to teach her. She knew it was foolish to trust this person she had met so recently and in such an auspicious way, but she did. Heaven help her, she did. 'Rasha would rap my knuckles.' Ororo thought with a smile.

Xavier cast a sidewise look at the young girl sitting beside him in the passenger seat. She hadn't said much during the trip, despite his prodding. Any questions were answered with as few words and as vaguely as possible. Mostly she had just sat there, looking out the window of first the plane, and then the car, with eyes so wide they seemed to risk rolling out of her head. He could hardly blame her, she had lived her entire life on the rough streets of Cairo after all. Before now, she had never ridden in a vehicle, much less an airplane. She had never experienced anything but the arid climate of the desert, and she had never been dressed in new clothes or had the option of eating as much food as she wished. All of this was new and strange to her. Xavier gave a mental sigh, no child deserved the childhood that Ororo had led. 'Ah well,' He thought. 'That's all about to change. She's here now and so help me, I'm going to make sure she some sort of life worth mentioning.'

The car rolled to a stop in front of the entrance and both Ororo and the Professor got out. The little thief shivered in the cool, damp air and quickly followed Xavier inside. Warm air enfolded her the moment she set foot past the door. If she had been expecting bare, cold stone, she was very much surprised. The interior of the mansion was decorated richly in warm colours and rich woods. Golden light shone from the ceiling fixtures above, and she could see a merrily crackling fire through a partially opened door. 'This is a safe place' was her first thought. Everything around her, the colours, the decorations, it all made her feel welcome.

Professor Xavier slipped off his hat and coat, hanging them on the nearby coat-rack, before turning to face his newest charge. "Welcome to Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters." He said. "Come, take off your coat and shoes and we'll see about getting you a room."

The Professor led her up a flight of stairs and down several hallways before stopping in front of a beautiful mahogany door. "Here we are," he smiled. "This should do nicely."

The room inside was every bit as nice as the rest of the building, with a thick carpet and big windows overlooking the school grounds and gardens. The tent like structure she had been using in Cairo with Rasha would've fit easily into this room, with space to spare. This was hers?

"I thought you might appreciate the windows" The Professor continued. "I've sensed that you're quite claustrophobic."

Ororo could only nod, lost for words.

"I'll leave you to get settled in then," he said. "When you're ready, come down to the kitchen. Down the staircase to your left, third door on the right. I'm sure Scott and Jean can't wait to meet you."

On a plane of existence far distant than the one currently holding Ororo and her newfound family, High Lady Alustriel leaned back in her chair and sighed with frustration. Another plane she had searched this night, another dead end. For almost a decade now she had searched for the missing daughter of some of her greatest friends. She knew that Ororo had been sent to a plane different than their own, but there were so many to search! Almost ten years, she hated to think what might have happened to the girl in such a time. 'How do we know she's even alive?' The Lady wondered. 'No,' she thought. 'I can't believe that. After all, we're talking about the daughter of Drizzt Do'Urden and Cattie-Brie Battlehammer. If ever there was a bloodline with a determination to survive, no matter the odds, it's theirs.'

Still, it had been ten years, and Lady Alustriel was no small mage. She should've been able to find the young half-drow by now. The ruler of Silverymoon just let out another long sigh into the night.

"Where are you Ororo?" She whispered.

A/N: Wow! That one was short, but I figured that I had to do something to keep this story alive. Anyway, tell me what you think. What was good? What was bad? Until next time.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm back! Did you miss me? In any case, here's the next installment, I hope you enjoy it. The timeline skips here to just after the first X-men movie. I think I'm done skipping now and the story can progress without any more gaps.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 6

_"Ororo." A voice whispered through the grey mists. "Ororo, where are you?" It was a gentle voice, familiar though Ororo couldn't recall where she had heard it before. Where was it coming from? She wanted to find the person. She didn't know why, only that it was important; she needed to. It was a woman's voice. Where was she?_

_"Come to me Ororo, come home." The voice was fainter now, moving away._

_Ororo was running, looking in all directions, trying to find the voice. If only she could reach the woman, everything would be alright. She could feel it. "Where are you?!" She cried in desperation to the emptiness, but the voice did not answer. She was alone; there was only her and the mist. Wait a minute, _**mist**_. Maybe the woman was still close enough to see if only she could eliminate this fog. Ororo reached for her power, felt it wash over her in a familiar stream. _**Be gone.**_ She commanded, and was rewarded when the mist thinned. Storm peered around her eagerly. Surely the woman would still be in sight, surely she could catch a glimpse of her. It was almost gone, another moment or two and her view would be clear. Almost. Almost._

_And then she was falling, twisting and tumbling through the fog, which had returned force once Ororo's concentration had broken. It seemed she fell forever, scared and confused, lost in the nothingness. Like a toy boat thrown about in an ocean storm. And she could hear the voice again, though it was so faint, like it was a million miles away. "Ororo."_

Storm snapped upright in her bed, a cold sweat covering her body. Her breath coming in measured gasps, she staggered to the bathroom and ran the sink full of cold water. After washing her face and taking a long drink, she felt much better, but was still troubled. What was going on? What was wrong with her? It was only a dream. Wasn't it? But still, there was something about that voice, that woman, like a distant memory long forgotten in the depths of her mind. But what did it mean?

"Ororo?" She heard the professor's voice from the doorway of her room. She quickly walked out of the bathroom to greet him. "Are you alright child? I sensed a great deal of alarm and anxiety from you."

Ororo smiled softly as she looked at the man who had become like a father to her. "I'm fine professor, just a dream."

"The same one? That's the second time this week is it not?"

Ororo nodded and sat down on her bed, the smile fading from her face. "They're getting closer together, and they're lasting longer. At first the voice was only a whisper that echoed a few times and was gone, but now I hear her calling many times. And it's so much clearer, like she's right beside me," Storm's voice became almost too soft to hear. "I was so close to finding her that time, so close. If only I could've held on for a few more seconds."

The professor regarded her closely. He had known Storm now for many years, but rarely had he seen her uncomposed. Usually she was stoic, unflappable. As if she were carved out of the onyx her skin so resembled. There was more to this than a recurring dream he was sure. This was a precursor to something much bigger, something that would change everything. It didn't give him a bad feeling exactly, just uncomfortable. _As all change is uncomfortable at first, whether for good or ill_. He thought to himself. Every mutant had learned that lesson the hard way.

She looked so lost sitting there, like the child that she never got the chance to be. Wheeling over to her, he reached out and took her hand. "Storm, look at me," Their eyes met. "I don't know what these dreams mean, or what they foretell. Just know that whatever is coming, we are here. As we've always been here. We're your family, no matter what."

'Ororo smiled at him, squeezing his hand. "Thank you professor. You don't know how much that means."

The professor gave her hand one last squeeze before releasing it and sitting back in his chair. "Try to get some sleep, there's a few hours before breakfast." He said before heading to the door.

Ororo let out a heavy sigh as she heard the door click. He was right. There was no point dwelling on questions that had no answers, and she would be of little use in the classroom tomorrow if she was falling asleep at her desk! With a huge effort of will, Storm forced all thoughts of the dream and all her disturbing questions to the back of her mind, got back into her warm bed, and fell asleep.

She had no more dreams that night, and the next few days were so busy that she had little time to dwell on them. As well as teaching, looking after the students, and participating in several danger room drills, there were several X-men missions that she was asked to be part of. Indeed, it seemed that any spare minute she found was interrupted by some errand or task that would inevitably send her flying off again in the Blackbird. After the fourth or fifth time that this happened, Storm began to suspect the professor was doing it on purpose for the very reason of keeping her mind off her dreams. Not that she minded, but she was beginning to burn out. That last rescue mission in particular had been rough. There had been a little mutant girl in Alabama who didn't have full control of her abilities yet and had inadvertently revealed herself on the playground, followed by panicking teachers and very angry parents who had publicly disowned the 10-year-old. Tricky enough situation though it was, Storm and Jean could've handled it fairly comfortably, if the Friends of Humanity hadn't gotten there first. They had found the little girl being nearly beaten to death by an angry mob, and had been forced to injure several humans in order to reach her. All in all, it had been a very messy mission with a very messy outcome, but at least no one had died and Jean said that the newest addition to the school should make a full recovery.

_Come to think of it,_ she thought. _I should make a point of visiting her in the infirmary today. Goodness knows she could stand seeing a friendly face._

Ororo turned the corner and saw a group of three students relaxing beneath a window, talking and joking. _Perhaps some friendly faces closer to her age as well._ She thought with a smile. Her stride turned purposeful as she moved to the group. The young girl had gone through a traumatizing experience and would be living here for some time, the sooner she met some people other than doctors, the better. Storm could be very persuasive when she wanted to be. Within a few minutes, she was sitting by a 10-year-old telekinetic's hospital bed, watching her share and joke with her three new friends.

A tall, black-haired woman peered over the edge of a beautifully crafted silver bowl, where the image of Ororo Do'Urden shimmered and rippled in the clear water. The woman was beautiful, dressed in a rich blue gown, her fine features light as she smiled. She stood like a statue as she looked as if mesmerized by the half drow. A familiar and not unexpected voice sounded from behind her.

"Watching her again are you Mystra?"

The Goddess of Magic simply nodded as Mielikki came up to stand beside her. For a long moment the two just stood, watching the lost Do'Urden. Finally, Mielikki broke the silence. "What are your plans for her Mystra? I have wondered for years and said nothing, but whatever it is the time is near; I can feel it. I wondered when you asked my permission to give a great gift to the daughter of Drizzt Do'Urden; I wondered when you hid her location on Earth from even your own Chosen for years; I wondered when you forbade me to reveal that location in any way to her father, who is a good and loyal servant of mine; and I wonder now, when you are observing her with new fervor and sending her dreams in the night. What are you planning? The gift you gave her is more than just a means to survive her exile on Earth, isn't it?"

Mystra was silent for a long moment, clearly wondering how much she should say. At length, she replied with a question. "Why did you create Drizzt Do'Urden?"

Mielikki looked at her counterpart in confusion. "I didn't, his conception and birth were completely normal in nature, with no interference on my part."

"You misunderstand my question." Mystra said. "I'm well aware that you did nothing to create Drizzt Do'Urden in the flesh, but you did create _him_. You and Ellistrea, centuries before his birth, fanning the dying embers of compassion within his race, planting the seeds so that empathy might regrow. A fool's mission, many would say, and no doubt you began to share that helplessness when all that work seemed to come to naught. Lolth squashed almost all the good you had done and buried the drow even deeper within her pit of greed and corruption. It was all you could do to keep that slim flame, that single candle, burning, flickering dangerously at times, but burning. Till finally it manifested itself fully in two generations of warriors far to valuable for Lolth to destroy out of hand, the best swordsmen the drow had ever seen, Zaknefien Do'Urden and his mighty son, Drizzt. Rather than risk loosing the sudden burst of life to this flame you had guarded so closely for so long, you had to ensure Lolth had as little time as possible to corrupt or kill your chosen one. You made sure that he would fall in love with the surface. He was already possessed of a noble spirit that would make king's envious, so the final touches for a rangers heart mustn't have been hard, a love of the sun, a respect and deep understanding of animals. Most likely all things that he already possessed, but were enhanced by your hand on his shoulder. Thus you had made certain that he was never Lolth's child, no matter his outward appearance, he was yours from his first breath, and you knew that, in time, he would come to you. Though I imagine you had hoped he would bring his father with him as well." Mystra locked eyes with the tanned goddess. "You did not create his body Mielikki; you created his soul, as you well know you did. So I ask you again, why? What is the purpose for Drizzt Do'Urden's existence? What is his destiny? As you asked me only minutes ago, what are your plans?"

Mielikki looked at the Goddess of Magic hard, perplexed how this was going to answer the question _she_ had asked, but she was sure Mystra had a point she was trying to make, and she was equally sure Mystra already knew full well her plans for Drizzt Do'Urden. There was no harm in repeating that which was already known.

"Drizzt will be an instrument for freedom," she said. "Freedom for his entire race. Lolth has held them firmly under her thumb for far too long and both Ellistrea and I will see it no more! When we tried to free the drow all those centuries ago, we underestimated Lolth's ability to smother the fires of change, no matter how far apart they were sown. It was only afterward, when we were struggling so desperately to keep that flame alive, that we realized our mistake. We had tried to make the drow abandon Lolth, but her control over them had become too complete for that to work. We needed to do the opposite. Before the Dark Elves can be free, Lolth herself must leave them, something that she would never do willingly. And so we thought to stabilize the flame, then try a different approach, to make a single moral drow instead of making the drow themselves moral, and then give him the means to destroy Lolth when he was ready." Here she smiled. "Drizzt was a surprise. The flame was far from stable at his birth. Both Ellistrea and I had not thought to put our second plan into motion for centuries yet, when suddenly a drow was born with as much potential as any we could create ourselves. Thus we accelerated our plans. We allowed him to remain with his people long enough to truly understand their evil and to become the master of the blade we all know today, we then made sure that he came to us on the surface to learn of true kindness, friendship, and love. We have been preparing him all his life, sending him challenges, tempering his soul as well as his skill and wisdom. And he has done well, better in fact than anything we could've hoped. He is an extraordinary person, and now he is ready. The time is soon coming." She said with a determined growl.

Mystra nodded, as if that was exactly what she had expected Mielikki to say. "I thought as much," she muttered, then said in a louder voice. "Your plans are daring and I wish you the best of luck. As to your question, I will say only this. Ororo's gift will help her to survive her exile on Earth, and her exile itself has and will teach her things necessary for her destiny to come to pass. But when the time comes, and her father stands before Lolth to destroy her, his children and friends will be beside him. All his children. That confrontation will be the catalyst to Ororo's destiny." Their gazes locked. "Only know that your ultimate goal and mine are the same, and together our plans will seem as one, each complimenting the other."

And with that, Mielikki would have to be content.

A/N: There it is. I give you a few hints about where I'm going with this. I hope I didn't give too much away. Anyway, tell me what you think. I hope you enjoyed it.


	7. interlude

A/N: Sorry I've been gone so long, extenuating circumstances. Anyway, here's just something I cooked up in like half an hour to let you guys know I'm still alive. Anyway, here you go.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Mystra felt the familiar presence of her chosen arcing through the grey nothingness between planes. It wasn't unusual; Alustriel had done it many times in the years since Ororo disappeared. But unlike all those previous attempts, Mystra would see to it that this one was successful. The time had come.

Suppressing the excitement that would surely give her away, Mystra nudged Alustriel's presence with her own, altering her direction in a manner so subtle it went unnoticed by the high lady of Silverymoon. Without having any idea of her Lady's intervention, Alustriel's spirit raced towards Earth.

Alustriel was an accomplished mage, a chosen of Mystra who had seen many centuries come and go. She was used to odd things. In the years she had spent searching for Ororo, she had been to many different worlds. She had seen places and people so different than her own that she had to restrain the urge to laugh. It took a great deal to surprise the High Lady of Silverymoon. But the world she found herself in now was strange indeed. Flying machines? Strange looking wagons neither pulled by beast or magic? Buildings higher than any she had ever seen? Smokepowder weapons that would make the great Gondish Priests bow their heads in shame? What manner of world was this?! There seemed to be mages of some sort, but their access to the weave seemed limited to one or a handful of applications, albeit wielded with great power and ingenuity. Apparently these 'mutants' were not appreciated either. She saw many instances of persecution, even violence towards these few talented individuals. It was all she could do to restrain herself when she saw mobs chasing after children, calling them 'freaks' and 'muties'. If she had possessed physical eyes, she would have cried.

_You are not here to change their ways of living,_ she reminded herself sternly, _you are here to try and find Ororo_.

Tearing herself way from the mobs, she began her search in earnest. Moving quickly (as only a spirit can move), she opened her mind and cast about for that distinctive mind she had touched only once so long ago. To be completely honest she didn't hold out much hope. She had searched hundreds of worlds since Ororo had disappeared. Not once had she even felt a glimmer of the child.

Even with her mind occupied in the search, she couldn't help but admire the wonders and flinch and the horrors. She flew over ancient pyramids and great sculptures of peoples long gone. She wondered at the lack of other races (there was not an elf or dwarf to be found), but stood in equal awe of the diversity humans had achieved among themselves. She flew quickly over scenes of battle, disgust and horror warring within her as she observed the use of weapons at least equal to a wizard's wrath and more terrible than anything she had ever seen. She was about to give up on this world as well when, suddenly, she felt a familiar tingle at the back of her mind. Altering course with a thought, Alustrial backtracked the feeling to its source.

She found herself above a great mansion with a plaque at the gate, "Xavier's Acadamy for Gifted Youngsters". Within the grounds she could see children playing, while others sat in what she assumed were classrooms. What amazed her however, was that every single person within the compound had the distinctive mind touch of a 'mutant' and the school itself was guarded by a powerful telepath. But most amazing of all, she was close enough now to decisively probe the presence she had felt earlier. With the presence of such a powerful telepath she dared not get any closer, but there was no doubt. Ororo Do'Urden was in that building.

In shock, the Lady snapped herself back to Fearun and her waiting body. As was normal after such excursions, she felt drained, exhausted, but this time there was also joy. Alustriel's eyes opened slowly to the familiar view of her private quarters. A soft whisper escaped her lips, "I found her."

A/N: Sorry this one is so short but hey, its an interlude. I'm trying desperately to write but I was in a place with no computer for 4 months and when I got back I was so behind in my University it just wasn't funny. I'll try to be more regular from now on.


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: I pondered long and hard about this one. I love crossovers; I love reading them; I love writing them. But they are one of the hardest things (at least in my opinion) to get right in a fanfiction. So often you see a crossover with great ideas, great foundation, and generally a great story as long as the fandoms involved are separate, but the point of the story where they merge seems awkward somehow. I'm really trying to avoid that so if you're getting impatient with me keeping Ororo away from the Fearun crowd, that's why. I really want to do this right. Oh, by the way we're going a little AU here (more than usual anyway) this is still after the first movie, but Logan is back at the mansion and X2 never happened. Anyway, here we go.

The dream began like any of the others, the mist, the voice, the inarticulate desire to find the woman. But Ororo soon realized that something was different. The mist seemed thinner somehow, everything was brighter, and the voice, it wasn't moving away. Ororo felt a surge of exhilaration, _maybe this time, this time I'll reach her,_ she thought as she ran. This was the closest Storm had ever come, she wasn't going to loose now! Determined, she reached for her powers, the mist began to disperse. Ororo could see a shadow at the limits of her vision, not clear enough to make out details but sharpening with every second. _Come on._ She thought. _Almost there, I'm almost there._ Suddenly, something caught her foot and she fell, face first, onto the ground. She cried out in frustration, she had been so close! For a long time she just laid there, waiting to wake up as she always did. But the dream did not fade, and suddenly the voice was right in front of her. "Are you alright child?" Ororo slowly raised her head from the ground. The mist was gone now, and for the first time she could see where she was. She was lying in a forest clearing in the first days of autumn. The trees rose straight and strong, the moist breeze smelled of earth and fallen leaves, and kneeling before her in the damp grass was the most beautiful woman Ororo had ever seen.

Back in the mansion

Logan couldn't sleep; he was restless. It wasn't unusual. He was always a light sleeper but every so often he went through periods when he just couldn't sleep at all. Sometimes it was nightmares, other times (like now) it was just plain insomnia; Wolverine attributed it to his animalistic tendencies. In any case, it was the middle of the night, almost everyone had been in bed for hours, and Logan was wandering aimlessly through the halls. _What I wouldn't give for a beer._ He thought. Maybe he should head into town for few hours, play a few rounds of pool at that bar he liked, get a drink.

He was about to do just that when he heard Storm cry out from down the hall. He sprinted to her room. "Storm?" He called, pounding the door.

No answer.

_That does it._ He muttered silently before forcing the door open. He leapt into the room, claws extended. Ororo was in her bed, sheets twisted around her as she tossed and turned. She was covered in a cold sweat, her face a mask of anguish. The adamantium blades slid back under Logan's flesh. "Storm," He called again, shaking her shoulder gently. "Come on, wake up."

No response.

He repeated the process a bit more forcefully, still nothing. By now Logan was getting concerned, usually Ororo slept as lightly as he did. "Storm!" He almost shouted.

At that point he decided it was time to get help. Something was definitely wrong. He rushed down the hall to Scott and Jean's room, calling for them to wake up and knocking urgently. A very sleepy Scott opened the door. "It's Storm," Wolverine headed off anything Cyclops was about say. "Something's wrong. She screamed in her sleep and now I can't wake her up."

The three of them ran back to Ororo's room. Jean immediately went into doctor mode, checking the unconscious woman's vitals. "We need to get her to the med lab," Jean announced. "Logan, help me move her. Scott, go wake the Professor."

Within 10 minutes, Ororo was lying on a medical bed hooked up to various monitors. They had barely finished when the Professor rolled in. "What happened?" He demanded.

"We don't know," Jean replied. "I can't explain it, she just won't wake up. All her vitals are normal. Is it possible she's under some kind of psychic attack?"

The Professor considered. "It's possible, but how a telepath could do so without my knowledge I don't know." He looked into space for a moment. "But it is looking more and more likely all the time. I can't enter her mind. There is something blocking me."

"Blocking you?" Jean was incredulous. "How is that possible? They're not in this room. Blocking you from someone else's mind would be hard enough, doing it from a distance would take an astronomical amount of power."

"Yes it would." The Professor agreed. "But that is exactly what is happening. Keep her comfortable and notify me of any change. I'm going to try and locate this attacker with Cerebro."

He was about to leave when Logan spoke. "What's with her ears?"

Everyone approached the table to see what Wolverine was talking about. Jean blinked. Professor Xavier frowned. What had been perfectly normal ears only minutes before now ended with distinct points.

Inside Ororo's head

The figure smiled kindly down at her. "Well met Ororo, it's been a long time."

Storm seemed to find her voice. "Do I know you?"

The woman let out a peal of laughter. "Oh, yes Ororo, we know each other, though we met only once and I doubt you remember. You were very young." The woman rose gracefully to her feet while Storm scrambled to do the same. "But I have watched you for many years. You have grown so beautiful Ororo, your parents would be proud."

Something in Ororo's mind clicked, some long forgotten bit of information. "Mystra," She whispered. "Your name is Mystra."

"One of many things I am called." The woman confirmed with a warm smile. "I am the Goddess of Magic and we, Ororo Do'Urden, have much to talk about."

She led Storm to stone bench at the edge of the trees (Ororo could've sworn that wasn't there a second ago) and the two sat down. "What did you call me just now?" Storm asked suddenly. "What's 'Do'Urden'?"

Mystra was silent for a moment before she replied. "What is your earliest memory Ororo? Do you remember your parents?"

Ororo thought hard. "I remember, gray. A mass of swirling gray mist and purple eyes."

Mystra nodded. "You are different Ororo, more than you know, and you are destined for great things. But right now, you don't know who you are." She paused for a moment and seemed to collect her thoughts. "The gray you remember is the void between planes, and the eyes belong to your father. You were born on the world known as Fearun, to 2 great heroes. Your mother Cattie-Brie, was adopted by a dwarven King when she was young. Fierce and beautiful, she is a great swordsman and an incredible archer." Mystra smiled. "You have her eyes. And your father is a drow ranger by the name of Drizzt Do'Urden. There has seldom been one with more mastery of the blade than he. He abandoned his people long ago to live below the sky."

Mystra must have seen Ororo's look of confusion. "Your father is a dark elf," She clarified. "A subterranean race of extreme evil, though Drizzt is the exception to the rule. He and a few others of his kind have abandoned the evils of their people and live on the surface among the other goodly races." She leaned over to touch Ororo's face. "Your colour comes from him, as well as your hair and ears."

"What's different about my ears?" Ororo asked, perplexed.

"At the moment nothing," the goddess laughed. "While on Earth you have subconsciously put a glamour over them. It will be gone when you wake up. I think you'll like the change, human ears never looked right on you in my opinion."

Ororo was about to demand what exactly would be different about her ears, but Mysta held up a hand. "I'll let you be surprised. There are more important things to discuss."

Ororo nodded, then asked the first thing that came to her mind. "My parents…did they love me?"

The Lady's face turned sad. "More than anything in the world," She said somberly. "Remember when I said that your father's people are evil? Well, their deity is even worse. Your father slighted Lolth when he left and she wanted revenge. She tried to steal you. Your father's Goddess stopped her, but in the fight you were lost to the void between planes. You floated until you reached Earth." She looked at Ororo. "Those on Fearun with the ability to do so have searched for you for years, but I did not let them find you. You may be angry if you wish but know that I had good reasons. There are great things in store for you Ororo, these years you have spent on Earth are essential if that destiny is to come to pass. And I did not leave you without the means to protect yourself."

"You gave me my power." It was not a question.

"I did. I needed to make sure you would survive your years on this world, and you will learn why in time."

The forest seemed to be fading away. "Our time here is almost at its end, but we will meet again. When you wake you will know many things that you did not before. The time is soon coming for you to go home, you must understand the world you were born into."

The mists were creeping in, and suddenly Ororo was alone on the bench. The ground gave out beneath her and Mystra's voice drifted back as she fell. "Farewell for now Ororo Do'Urden."

A/N: All right, done! I wanted to make it longer, but it's late, I'm tired, I should've been working on school for the last few hours instead of writing, and it just seemed like the right place to end it. I like long chapters as much as the next person; I just can't write them. Quality, not quantity right? Right? I know I said in earlier chapters that Ororo always had slightly pointed ears, but I liked this way better. So just ignore that sentence back in chapter 4 or 5. I'll go back to change it if I have time. Anyway, tell me what you think. R&R Please!


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing that you recognize.

Light assaulted Ororo's partially opened eyes, and she quickly snapped them shut. Her head hurt, like suddenly her brain had grown too big for her skull. Her mind was filled with confusing images. Places and people, cities and creatures different than anything she had ever seen. Everything was jumbled, as if whoever had given her the knowledge had just put it in her head with no regard to order or sense. Images and names spun behind her eyes as if on some insane merry-go-round. Remembering her conversation with Mystra, Storm tried to examine the pictures, slow down their spinning, just trying to make some sense of the overwhelming amount of information that now resided in her brain. It didn't help. Ororo let out in involuntary groan, this was going to take some time. Her ears picked up soft footfalls coming towards her long before she heard Jean's voice. "Storm?"

Squinting against the light, the weather witch forced her eyes open. Since when did light bother her so much? For that matter, since when could she hear Jean from across the room? The beeping from the machines seemed much louder than it should've been, it was like someone had taken her ears' sensitivity and jacked up the volume. Wait a minute, her ears! Ororo snapped upright and nearly fell off the bed. Jeans hands were immediately restraining her. "Easy, Storm, easy. It's alright."

Storm let Jean ease her back down, closing her eyes again. The light wasn't helping her headache. "Too bright." She muttered absently.

She heard Jean moving away before the light attacking her eyelids subsided suddenly. Cracking open her eyes once more, she found that she could stand it. Jean was standing back over her. "How're you feeling?"

Ororo let out a broken laugh. Jean smiled. "Sorry, standard question."

"I need a mirror." Ororo muttered.

Jean frowned, how did she know? She shook the question from her head. Now wasn't the time. "Storm," She began hesitantly. "I don't know if.."

"Please Jean!" Ororo interrupted. "I won't freak out or anything. I just need to see a mirror."

Jean sighed. Well, she would have to find out sooner or later. Reaching into her back pocket, Jean brought out her compact and handed it to Storm. Ororo's hand trembled as she examined her now elvin ears. She gently traced their shape with her fingers, shuddering with the increased sensation as she reached the tips. Oh! But they were sensitive now. Was it an effect of the transformation, or were they supposed to be like that? She thought back to her conversation with the goddess. _I think you'll like the change. Human ears never looked right on you in my opinion._ Ororo was surprised to find she agreed. There was something about the graceful shape that appealed to her. They seemed to fit.

"Storm?" Jean's cautious voice roused her from her thoughts.

Her hand dropped from her ear and she quickly closed the compact, returning it to its owner. "Could have been worse I suppose." Ororo smiled at her friend.

Jean was completely baffled, Ororo knew something about what happened last night, she could tell. She was just about to open her mouth when Storm cut her off. "Later Jean, I'll explain later. I don't want to go over this more than once."

Later that day, in the Professor's office

"So this Lady, who claims she's a goddess, and that you've only met while you're asleep, tells you that you're not from this world and you're not even human. She knocks you out, fills your head with images, and makes your ears pointy. And you just trust her?!" Wolverine sounded like he couldn't believe his ears.

Storm, on the other hand, was completely calm. "She has done nothing to harm me, and I remember her. Faintly, but I still remember. Besides, she did nothing to my ears, this is how they're supposed to be. She simply dispelled the glamour I didn't realize I had erected."

The X-Men were, understandably, having a hard time believing this. "Storm," the professor began. "I realize that you honestly believe this to be real, and there is no question that you were visited last night by an exceptionally powerful mind. However, you have to face the possibility that none of this, this story, the images, may be real. It may just as well be information planted by an extremely powerful mutant." Storm made to say something, but he cut her off. "Yes I'm aware that there is no motivation to have done so but we can't be sure. It could be someone's idea of a grand joke for all we know. Now, admittedly, Cerebro can find no telepath powerful enough to have done this. But if their mind is as powerful as I felt last night, they might have a way of hiding from me."

Ororo looked around the room for support, but found little. All she saw were skeptical and concerned looks. She sighed and stood. "I understand why you feel that way. I know it sounds crazy. I'm the one saying it and it sounds crazy. But it's true. I have no proof; I can't explain it, but I know in my heart that it's true."

With that, she left.

The X-Men looked at each other. "There's no way it can be for real," Was Logan's first reaction. "We've all seen some weird stuff, but this is just too far out there."

"I've got to agree with Logan." Scott said.

"I don't know Scott," Jean murmured. "She seems so sure. And when I touch her mind, there's something..I don't know. Like Storm said, I can't put it to words, but it makes me feel like she's telling the truth."

"That could just be our rogue telepath effecting you through Storm." The Professor pointed out. "But I admit that I sense the same thing. Besides, while it's not unusual for mutants to have different facets to their gifts, telepathy and physical alteration are two completely different realms of ability. I've never met a mutant who would be capable of both touching Storm's mind and changing her ears."

"Two mutants then?" Scott suggested.

"If that were the case, I would've been able to sense the other presence, which I did not. While it's conceivable for a powerful telepath to be able to hide from me, I think it would be stretching things if they had to keep storm asleep, send her such detailed images in such quantity, withstand my mental probes, and hide another mutant presence at the same time."

"You believe her?!" Wolverine was incredulous.

"I never said that Logan." The professor placated. "But we do have a mystery on our hands." He paused for a moment, thinking. "Keep an eye on her, see if she exhibits any strange behavior. And don't bring up the subject unless she does. Other than that, I'm not sure there's much else we can do."

Silverymoon

Lady Alustriel had thought she long ago outgrew juvenile impatience and impulsiveness, but it was taking all of her being not to express the very same sentiments that her current guest was.

Zaknefein Do'Uden was currently wearing a trench into her audience chamber floor. The years had turned him into a strapping young ranger, every bit his father's son. As a child, it was obvious that he took after Drizzt and the years had only confirmed it. These days, you almost had to have them side-by-side to see the differences in height and colour. Zak was a shade taller than his father and a bit lighter, but other than that it was almost like looking in a mirror. The young ranger had, by chance, arrived in Silverymoon only a day after Alustriel had located his sister. It wasn't unusual for one of the Do'Urden family to accompany trade caravans through the mountains. Alustriel had called for him as soon as she realized he was in the city. He stopped his pacing for a moment to turn and ask the same question he had asked 10 times in the last hour. "You're sure we can't just go get her now my Lady?"

Alustriel sighed, she was itching to go just as much as the half-drow. She would breathe easier when Ororo Do'Urden was home, where she belonged. "She's not a child anymore Zak." She explained again. "As much as we would like to just jump in and snatch her away, we can't. We must remember that Ororo has spent years on that world. In her eyes, that is home. She has never heard of Fearun. As much as we love her and want her back, the fact remains that we are strangers to her. If this is to turn out the way we wish it to, it must be handled delicately. We must do this right." Her voice turned very gentle. "Your parents will be here in a matter of days, we will decide on the best course of action then." She rose and approached him, placing a slender hand on his shoulder. "She has survived for years in far more dire situations than the one I found her in. She will be fine for a few days more."

Zak seemed to deflate under her touch. "I know Lady, I know. But it doesn't stop me from being anxious. We were given so little time with her, and mother isn't getting any younger. I feel like so much has already been stolen from us, I hate letting any more slip by, even if it is only a few more days. To have Ororo so close, but still out of reach…" He trailed off.

The Lady smiled. "I understand Zak. I feel the same way. But pacing isn't going to bring her back, nor make Drizzt and Cattie-Brie arrive any sooner. Go get some sleep, when the time comes, you'll be the first to know."

At the Mansion

Ororo laid back on her bed, examining the images within her mind. She treasured the glimpses of her family, drinking them in as if dying from thirst. She watched her gruff grandfather rule his home, saw the grinning halfling behind him. Watched Wulfgar spar with her brother and her parents race through the trails while Guenhwyvar leaped ahead. She watched them in battle, the smooth pull of her mother's arm, the intricate teamwork of bow and sword. Her father moved like lightning, the interplay of his blades was hypnotic, it was like he was dancing.

Ororo didn't know how long she lay there, lost in her own thoughts, but eventually she sighed and got up. Revelations about her past or not, she still had class to prepare for tomorrow.

A/N: Well, there it is. Every chapter brings us closer to Ororo's reunion with her family. Sorry about the wait, talk to my professors. School has been really backed up with a lot of due dates in the next few weeks. As always, tell me what you think!


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: Man it's been a long time since I've written

A/N: Man it's been a long time since I've written. I guess life just got ahead of me. I'm trying to wrap this story up fairly quickly so I can move on to other ideas. This'll probably be one of the last chapters, but don't worry, I have a sequel well in hand! I've been hinting at a really grand adventure in previous chapters, and I really wanted to do that story justice. Therefore, that plot will have a story all it's own. The purpose of this fic is to basically set the stage for the next one.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

Chapter 10

Alustriel had been hard pressed to find a landing spot with enough privacy for her liking, but eventually settled on a forest clearing several miles from the place Ororo called home. Although there was no one there to witness it, the transportation spell was always spectacular. The air crackled with electricity and light. In the center of the clearing, a ball of energy appeared. Small at first, it quickly expanded to fill the whole meadow, lightning crackling over its surface. Spring grass withered and burned away in the face of the extreme heat and energy. The last snows of winter hissed in protest as they melted away. Finally, with a resounding roar, the energy bubble contracting in on itself and dissipated, leaving nothing more than sparkling wisps of energy playing in the air.

Where there was once nothing more than grass and snow, there now stood seven figures, all clad in medieval looking travel clothes. "Did ye have to land us so far away?" Bruenor grumbled. When he heard Ororo had been found at last, he had wasted no time in packing his things and setting out for Silverymoon with his daughter and son-in-law. Needless to say, the rest of the Companions had been right beside him.

Alustriel simply smiled softly at the dwarf king's gruffness. He was worried for his grandchild and anxious to hold her again. He hadn't seen the child wince she was but a few days old. Alustriel knew better than to take offense. "I didn't want to bring unnecessary attention to ourselves," She patiently explained. "This world is much more crowded than we are accustomed to. Besides, I didn't want to risk that telepath sensing our arrival. I doubt he's an enemy, but as I said, this must be done cautiously. We must better ascertain the situation before confronting your granddaughter. I don't want to be noticed just yet."

Bruenor scowled and kicked a nearby rock, but said nothing else. He knew the Lady was right, as much as it hurt to admit it. He wasn't foolish enough to believe this was going to be easy. Ororo had a life here, it would be cruel to snatch her away from it so suddenly. For about the thousandth time in the last decades, he cursed Lolth and her demons. How dare they do this to an innocent child!

Although he was famous for his cool and stoic demeanor, Drizzt found himself easily as impatient as his friend (though perhaps he did a better job of hiding it). His daughter, his daughter was here, right within reach! He was so close. Lavender eyes turned longingly in the direction Alustriel had said Ororo was. It took all his self-control not to take off that way and run until Ororo was in his arms once more. _Soon,_ He told himself sternly. _Very soon, but not yet._ He shared a smile with his wife and drew her close. They had dreamed of this day for years, he wouldn't ruin it for the sake of his own impatience.

They all listened to Alustriel as they began walking away from their landing site. The Lady was describing the world they were now in and explaining the many differences between this world and their own. Wulfgar was a bit skeptical about some of the things Alustriel described (horseless wagons and flying machines? Not possible.), but Zaknefein was curious. He couldn't wait to see some of those things, however, both his mother and the Lady had been perfectly clear that they would try to minimize any contact with locals. The seven travelers stuck out like sore thumbs, they had to be careful.

The forest came right up to their destination, allowing the group some much-needed cover. They stayed as deep into the trees as they could, walking with the ease of those who need no path to travel comfortably in the woods. Alustriel summoned enough light for Bruenor, Wulfgar, Regis, and herself to see by while the Do'Urden family melted into the darkness. Drizzt was on point, scouting ahead with his superior night-vision while his wife and son protected the group's flanks.

It was a familiar arrangement, one the Companions of the Hall had used long before Zak was born. The young half-drow didn't even think about it. When together, this was how his family traveled; it felt undoubtedly right. Where would Ororo fit in? Zak couldn't help but wonder. Studying the group's positions, it wasn't hard for him to imagine a fourth form outside the central group, another Do'Urden covering the group's rear, another black-skinned wraith slipping silently among the shadows. The thought brought an unseen grin to his face. The fit would be seamless, he decided. The formation was good now, offering early warning from three directions. But with Ororo's addition, it would be perfect. The glare of distant lights broke him from his thoughts. In the distance he could see their destination, an enormous ivy covered mansion. His sister was in there. His grin grew wider as he picked up his pace.

Drizzt was waiting for them, crouched atop the high wall that surrounded the X-Mansion's property. None commented on his apparently precarious position, they knew the ranger well enough to know he was in no danger. Zak used a nearby tree to join his father. "What do you think?" He whispered, studying to open expanse between the trees and the structure.

"I sense no sentries or wards," The elder ranger answered. "But in this world I'm not entirely certain what I'm looking for. Defenses may well be hidden by the same magics that machines fly by or wagons pull themselves."

Zak nodded in understanding. "Perhaps we will see more from the ground." He suggested, making as if to jump down.

"Wait!" Zak stopped out of reflex at his father's blocking hand. Drizzt stared hard at the ground below him, picking up several flashes of buried metal and concealed machines. Though he pushed his imagination to the limit, he couldn't guess what they might do, but the manner by which they were concealed implied they were weapons of some sort. The ranger turned back to his son with a smile. "I think I just found our missing defenses." He explained shortly before jumping down to join the rest of the group. After taking one last look at the mansion, Zaknefein did the same.

Cattie-Brie was the first to speak. "What did ye see?" She asked, addressing her husband.

"There are, what I assume, are significant defenses surrounding the building. I don't know what the purpose of those machines might be. They are too strange to me." He admitted.

Everyone was silent for a moment while they processed that. "So," Regis began tentatively, "How do we get in?"

"There's always the direct approach." Bruenor suggested. "If these durned machines won't let us get close to Ororo, we just go up 'n knock on the door."

"Delicate handling," Alustriel reminded for about the thousandth time. "We must find some way to be subtle."

"Perhaps if Cattie-Brie or I walk up and knock on the door?" Wulfgar suggested. "There are no dwarves, halflings, or elves here, and (you'll forgive me, Lady, for saying so) your silver hair sets you somewhat apart from the common breed. Perhaps if a human came up and knocked on the door, we might find a more gentle way to break the news."

Drizzt nodded, "A good idea, but it'll have to be Cattie-Brie. Your height and strength set you apart as surely as Alustriel's hair my friend."

Wulfgar nodded in acknowledgment of that fact.

"We may as well rest here until daylight." Regis piped in. "No matter the manner of creature knocking on their door, I doubt they'll be hospitable to a call in the middle of the night."

"Agreed." Said Alustriel. After a meal of travel rations (they dared not build a fire), Drizzt volunteered for first watch and the rest of the group laid out their bedrolls.

Once he was sure they were asleep, the ranger returned to his perch on top the wall. Quietly, he took out his panther figurine. Having his daughter so close to him, yet still out of reach was torture. He needed Guenhwyvar's company this night. Within a few moments, a much larger (though equally as dark) figure joined him on the wall.

Guenhwyvar immediately caught onto her master's mood. Letting out a low, comforting growl she laid down beside him, resting her massive head on his lap. She could smell Ororo, the child's scent was everywhere. It was older, different, but still definitely Ororo. There was still that distinctive half-elvin smell mixed with ozone and energy, like caged lightning. She was dearly tempted to try the strange machines on the other side of the wall, she strongly suspected she was fast and cunning enough to make it through. Prudence held her in check though, she was new to this world; she had no idea what those things were capable of. Guenhwyvar growled again, this time in frustration, then forced herself to relax. She had rarely known her master to be without a plan, she was sure he had one now.

The Next Morning-Storm's POV

The sun shining into her eyes woke Ororo Mun…Do'Urden (she corrected herself quickly) from her pleasant dreams. It was a beautiful day, bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky. The weather, as usual, completely suited her mood. Feeling more upbeat than she had in a long time, Storm got dressed and went down for breakfast.

Her good mood couldn't even be punctured by the considering looks she was getting from her fellow X-Men. Ever since she had shared her dream and believed ancestry with them a few days ago, they had been treading carefully around her, as if she were a china cup that might break if jostled too hard. At first it annoyed her (didn't they think she could take care of herself?!), then she felt touched by it (they're only doing it because they care), now finally it just amused her. She couldn't blame them for thinking she was crazy, if it wasn't for this utter belief that it was true, she would think she was crazy as well.

She had reached the bottom of the stairs and was halfway to the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. She could hear Jean answer it behind her. "Can I help you?"

Another female voice answered with a strange, lilting accent. "I'm hoping ye can. I'm trying to find someone, and I think she's here."

Ororo stopped in her tracks, not daring to turn around. She was having trouble breathing, all other sounds seemed to fade. Only a week ago, that voice would've meant nothing to her, an interesting accent, but nothing more. But the images Mystra had put in her head came with sounds. She recognized that voice. She _knew_ that voice. Mustering every ounce of courage in case it turned out to be fake, she slowly turned.

Cattie-Brie looked just as lovely as the images in Storm's head, perhaps more. Even though she was well past her youth, the woman before her had an aura and grace that granted her an inexplicable beauty. Her face and demeanor were warm, but there was a fierce hardness too, like a mountain lion, like dwarven stone.

Cattie-Brie took that moment to look up and over Jean's blocking shoulder and froze. Identical pairs of blue eyes met. Ororo could see the hope, the love, the fear in those eyes so much like her own. Any doubt she had was gone, this was her mother.

Cattie-Brie cursed her own reaction, she knew that Ororo was here, was even hoping beyond hope to see her, but once her eyes' finally found her daughter, she froze. She couldn't hear what the read-headed woman was saying, she couldn't breathe. With her eyes, ears and skin it couldn't be anyone but Ororo, but the little girl was so different. _Well of course she's different, ye half-wit_, the dwarven part of her shot, _ye haven't seen her since she was a baby._ Still, knowing it and seeing it were two very different things. _I didn't expect her to be so beautiful._ Drizzt had been right, Ororo had inherited her features, but her skin and hair were undeniably drow, as well as her delicately pointed ears. Her daughter had that same regal stoicism that Cattie-Brie found so endearing in Drizzt and Zak. There was no mistaking any of them for anything except nobility.

The redhead was still talking, trying to get her attention, but she had eyes only for her daughter, and her daughter had eyes only for her. The rational part of her mind tried to figure out how that was possible. Ororo was only a few days old when she had been taken, she should have no memory of Cattie-Brie at all. But here she was, not looking at her mother with detached curiosity or vague recollection, but fully-fledged shock. Her eyes screamed _I know you!_ Battle hardened as she was, the daughter of Bruenor Battlehammer felt like weeping for joy.

Jean had apparently realized that the woman in strange clothes before her was no longer listening, because she turned to see what had the stranger so enthralled, only to see Storm frozen in the entry hall with a similar expression. Utterly confused and really feeling as if she were missing something, Jean tried to get her friend's attention. "Storm? What's going on? Do you know this person?"

To her annoyance, she was utterly ignored. She was strongly tempted to use her powers and get an explanation, but replaying every morality lecture the professor had ever given, managed to restrain herself. Storm approached them as if in a trance, her eyes never leaving the woman in front of her. She tentatively reached out as if to touch the other's face, but hesitated before contact, as if afraid the woman was about to disappear before her very eyes. "You're real?" For the first time since Jean had met her, Ororo's voice seemed small, meek and choked with emotion.

The tableau held for a breath, than the stranger leapt at Storm, wrapping the weather witch tightly in her arms. Jean could just hear the woman's mumbled words. "Ye know me. Ye know me. Oh me girl, but I missed ye!"  
Storm was holding the woman as tightly as the woman was holding her, and to Jean's utter shock, they both had tears running down their faces. Storm, the most stoic person Jean had ever known, was actually sobbing into this woman's shoulder. Looking at them standing there, Jean felt absolutely flabbergasted. She was definitely missing something.

A/N: Well, there it is. Man, this one took a lot out of me. A lot of Emotional Drama. I'm sorry if I went overboard a little, but the chapter just seemed to take on a life of its own. I actually think it turned out alright. Anyway, tell me what you think. I didn't have my sister read through it like I normally do, so please feel free to point out any typos you may see. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my previous chapter, I hope to hear from you again for this one. Until next time kiddos!


	11. Chapter 10

The situation was surreal for all parties involved

A/N: The rest of the team meets the Forgotten Realms crew! Yay, I'm so excited. I love it when a story really begins to come together. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

The situation was surreal for all parties involved. For the Do'Urden family, seeing someone that, until a few days ago, they had never hoped to lay eyes on again, plus the fact that she inexplicably remembered who they were, made the entire thing seem too good to be true. Cattie-Brie especially felt as if she had to wake up at any moment, this couldn't be real.

For Ororo's part, she just could believe that they were all here, all sitting right in front of her. They were all just as she had seen in her head, but there was a difference between seeing them in her head and seeing them before her, to be able to touch them and loose herself in their arms. Storm had never been an intimate person, physical contact with others was usually kept to a minimum, but it was different here. For the first time that she could recall, she had a family, and they loved her. Their arms around her felt incredibly right and she never wanted them to let go.

The Professor's shock was a bit more conventional in its source. Only a few days ago, his beloved student had woken up telling the most ludicrous and impossible tales. It was, understandably, a bit shocking to have the objects of Storm's alleged hallucinations sitting before him in his study.

Professor Xavier examined the group over his peaked fingertips; they certainly looked like nothing in this world. You can imagine his surprise when Ororo had suddenly burst into his study, dragging behind her a middle-aged woman of still considerable beauty. The behavior itself was out of character. Storm was always collected and calm, she did not burst into people's studies, period. It was also rare for Storm to show much emotion, and she certainly did not cry in front of her teammates. And yet, an extremely emotional Storm and a woman claiming to be her mother had interrupted his morning skim of the daily newspaper.

Professor Xavier was naturally suspicious of the whole thing, but he read no ill intentions off this visitor, nor from the rest of the group who had shortly joined them (through the window of all things). Storm had seemed honestly thrilled to see them, calling them by name and sharing tight embraces with all. The ones she called 'father' and ' brother' certainly fit the part with their dark skin, white hair, and strange ears. Add in their unusual garb and they didn't appear remotely human, but if Storm was to be believed, they weren't, and neither was she. The rest of the group was equally mismatched. The other human male was easily the size of Colossis with muscles to match and a metal hammer strapped to his back. The other two were much shorter than normal, one was apparently grizzled and gruff while the other was soft, rather fat, and with the same inhuman ears that Ororo and her 'family' possessed. Of the entire group though, Xavier found himself most focused on the tall, silver haired woman. It was not so much her dress, they all looked outlandish, but she seemed to stick out of the crowd. She carried herself straight and tall, like a queen, and he could sense her power. This one was a mutant of some sort, unless he missed his guess, and thus the reason for his suspicion. He couldn't help but consider the timing, Ororo has a dream, and then these people show up. He was seriously considering that the entire thing was a simple illusion created by the powerful mutant before him.

The joyful reunions had apparently tapered off, Xavier realized, tearing himself from his private thoughts. Storm glanced over to him, looking more radiant than he could ever remember her being. He felt his heart give a little jolt. As suspicious as he was, some small part of him hoped this to be true; Ororo looked so happy.

She approached his desk. "Professor…I know you didn't believe me and maybe you still don't, but this is my father, Drizzt, by brother, Zaknefein, my Grandfather, Bruenor, my uncles, Wulfgar and Regis, the High Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon, and you already met my mother. Father, everyone, this is Professor Xavier. He helped care for me all these years."

A grin broke out over Drizzt's face. "Then you are a friend of ours indeed!" He said, offering his hand across the desk. The professor hesitated for a moment before accepting it. "I imagine there are many questions that need answering."

"An understatement," The professor agreed. "Ororo has given us a basic understanding of events, but I imagine there is far more that she left unsaid."

It was hours later before any of them emerged from the study, so involved were they in their conversation. In the meantime, word had spread around the mansion that a group of strangers had arrived that morning, claiming to be Storm's long lost family. Speculation ran wild, especially among those outside the core X-men group and therefore not privy to Ororo's dreams or surprising revelations. To most in the mansion, the morning's events were simply a conversation piece, something to break up the monotony of the day. A long lost family was certainly something to talk about, but only Storm's teammates knew that there was anything more unusual than that going on. Among whispered comments of 'I thought they abandoned her when she was little' and 'how did they find her?', the X-men went quietly about their day, exchanging worried and anxious looks. Several appropriately abled mutants, both student and X-men alike, considered using their gifts to listen in, but the professor had a nasty habit of knowing when someone was eavesdropping and was unlikely to approve. As much as everyone wanted to know what was going on inside that room, they respected both the Professor and Storm too much to intrude on what was obviously a private discussion.

Both Logan and Scott were currently sitting in the living room, glancing in the direction of the study every now and again. The tension in the room was palatable.

"I don't like this." Wolverine muttered. "Ororo has a dream and suddenly her long lost family comes knockin'? Too convenient if you ask me."

Scott frowned, silently agreeing with Logan. The timing made the whole thing seem suspicious. He looked up as Jean entered the room. "They still at it?" He asked rhetorically. "How much longer do you think?"

"Who knows." Jean answered softly. "Not that I'm surprised. Imagine if suddenly the family whom you've never known shows up on your doorstep, the conversation is bound to be long. Even with this so-called dream of Storm's, there have to be a lot of questions."

"So suddenly you believe her?" Wolverine shot. "Last time I checked, you agreed with me that the whole 'dream' thing was a load of crap."

"I did." Jean bit her bottom lip. "But you weren't there when that woman and Storm saw each other. They were both honestly ecstatic; there wasn't anything artificial in either of their reactions. I don't know…I guess I'm beginning to think that there was more to what Storm told us than we thought."

"The mutant that affected Storm could just be manipulating you too." Cyclops reminded.

"I know," Jean said. "But it's hard for me to believe that anything in that encounter was faked. Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it's true. I've never seen Storm so happy and heaven knows she deserves some happiness."

"I'm more worried about what happens if it turns out to be some sort of fraud." Scott frowned thoughtfully. "Storm always keeps herself so in control, so closed off. This is the first time I've ever seen her let down her guard like this. If this turns out to be fake, she'll take it hard."

Both Logan and Jean nodded, they had come to a similar conclusion. "Logan," Jean started. "I know you don't believe this and I don't blame you, but if Ororo and the Professor decide that this is on the level, you need to be happy for her. We won't change her mind and we won't convince her otherwise. All we can do is be here, however this turns out."

Wolverine regarded her for a long moment before looking away. "You're probably right," He growled softly. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

And coming from Wolverine, that was the best Jean was likely to get.

Silence ruled for a long time afterwards, there didn't seem to be anything else to say on the subject, and no one in the room could find anything non-Storm related to talk about. Jean and Logan sat facing each other while Scott had taken to pacing in front of the window. Jean was utterly still, caught up in her own thoughts, while Logan fidgeted. He desperately wanted to get out of here, to go for a ride or something, but more compelling was the desire to see how this whole thing played out. When Storm and her supposed 'family' came out of that room, he fully intended to be right here. If this turned out to be some sort of trap, there was no way in hell that he was letting the rest of the X-men face it alone.

On the other hand, the silence and tension was becoming unbearable. Logan was a creature of action, sitting and doing nothing was grating on his nerves. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"I'll be in the danger room if anyone needs me." He muttered and turned to the door. "Tell me when they come out." He added, his tone making it perfectly clear that if he wasn't immediately informed when the meeting was done, someone would die.

Without further comment, Wolverine strode out the door, leaving Scott and Jean alone.

"Can you catch anything that's going on in there? Emotions or stray thoughts or anything?" Scott asked after another long silence, knowing that Jean sometimes picked up on things even when she didn't mean to.

Jean shook her head. "The professor is shielding the room. Whatever's happening in there, he wants it to remain private. Not that I blame him," She added. "Privacy is the least that Storm deserves. Emotions have to be running high in there."

Just then, they caught the telltale sound of a door opening.

"They're out." Jean announced, moving to stand up with Scott right behind her. "I've already told Logan and he's on his way up."

Together, the Professor's oldest students walked out of the living room and headed towards the study. No words were said, no words needed to be. Both were tense with anticipation and trepidation, no one was quite sure how this encounter was going to end. The Professor met them halfway there.

"Scott, Jean." He greeted them. "Storm would like to see you in my study along with the other X-men. She has some people she would like you to meet."

"So it's true, who they claim to be?" Scott pressed.

The Professor's lips twitched. "As difficult as it is to believe, yes, I believe so. I caught no hint of deception in that room. There was no evidence of mental manipulation or any other kind of power used that I can sense. And the outrageous nature of their story itself leads some credence to it. If they wanted to trick us, there are far more believable tales that they could concoct.

"Logan isn't going to like this." Scott couldn't help but point out. "He fully expected you to send them packing, maybe even hoping that he and his claws would get to help in the process."

"Logan doesn't have to like it, remember?" Jean answered before the Professor could. "He just has to accept it. Storm's life, Storm's choice. We all knew that this might be a possibility from the moment she told us about her dreams. No matter how remote we thought the possibility was."

Just then, Logan strode up the corridor to meet them. "Let's get this over with." He growled before moving towards the study. The others quickly followed.

Whatever they had been expecting, even with the information that Storm had shared, it wasn't what met their eyes. Ororo sat clustered in the middle of some of the most out of place looking people that the X-men had ever seen. Considering that they were mutants who regularly saw other, more dramatic mutants, this was saying quite a lot. Although the room was relatively large, every one of the newcomers sat in a tight little group around Ororo, as if she would disappear if they weren't in constant contact with her. Even Logan had to admit that if this was a fraud, it was a good one. Everyone sitting there had an expression of true joy and those closest to the center looked so much like Storm that it was hard to believe the story to be anything but true. In the woman, Storm's features were clear, as well as those bright azure eyes. The resemblance to the males was even more obvious, lithe build, pointed ears, white hair, and skin carved out of onyx. They certainly looked like her family.

Although Logan had tried to be quiet when approaching the door, everyone was looking up expectantly at him when he entered the room. Ororo immediately got up and approached her teammates. "Jean, Scott, Logan, I'd like you to meet my family."

A/N: Well, here it is. Tell me what you think. I know that not much happened in this chapter, it was basically a filler, but I thought it turned out alright.


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! Your feedback absolutely makes my day! So here it is. The X-Men get to know the Do'Urdens a little better and Storm starts to comprehend the magnitude of what's happened to her now that the initial euphoria has worn off and begins to understand what that means for her future. And heeerre we go!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

The night was clear and silent. An unnatural stillness seemed to have fallen across the world, making it seem as if the sky itself was holding its breath. The stars were pale jewels against the blackness, offset by the moon making it's slow journey across the heavens, and all oblivious to the tumultuous emotions of those looking upon them.

Ororo Do'Urden, who had gone most of her adult life by Munroe, who had taken the name Storm to beat back her underlying lack of proven identity, greatly envied those oblivious stars.

It had been three days since her family's unexpected reintroduction into her life; three days since all she had ever known had been turned upside down in earnest. The last 72 hours had been the most emotionally draining, mentally taxing times of her life, and although things had settled down a bit after the initial frenzy of introductions and reunions that first day, life at the mansion was still far from normal. The Do'Urden family and company had spent their days getting to know each other and learning a little more about their respective worlds. One of the first things Ororo had done was take them all on a tour of her home, a venture that had taken them the rest of the first day and a good part of the next. They talked about whatever came to their minds, from Ororo's less then ideal childhood (that had led to more than a few tears from her guilty parents, though none of it was remotely their fault), to mutants and their struggle to find acceptance in a world where different was often mistaken as dangerous. Drizzt especially seemed to sympathize with the mutant's plight, and she and her father had spent many pleasant hours in conversation while they walked the grounds. Given the choice, most of her family would much rather be outside than inside, and Ororo had found herself walking through the gardens and lawns even more than usual.

As a direct result of her sudden interest in the outdoors, she hadn't seen any of her teammates much, a situation that she knew they couldn't be happy with, but she just wanted this time to be alone with her family. She needed to get everything straight emotionally before she could move on to more complicated matters. Ororo knew that eventually she would have to lift up both her life she had found on Earth with the X-Men, and the heritage she now knew she possessed, and try to find some way to reconcile them to herself, but she wasn't ready just yet. Everything still seemed a little too unreal.

In fact, that was one of the reasons that she was sitting up on the roof of the mansion, admiring the stars and enjoying the solitude. She had told her family that she just needed a little air and some time to herself. They had understood completely. At this point in time, everyone was very careful not to force anything and to let matters progress at their own pace. If she said she needed privacy, they were only too willing to give it to her. The X-Men weren't nearly so polite.

Ororo suppressed a groan as she heard the Professor's chair come across the roof. She didn't bother trying to mask her thoughts, the Professor would've known full well that she wanted to be alone and had chosen to come up anyway, any uncomplimentary thoughts picked up were his own fault. Deep inside, Ororo knew she was being a little uncharitable, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"The rest of the team is worried about you." Came the inevitable comment.

"They shouldn't be," She muttered. "I'm better than I've been for as long as I can remember."

"And how would they know that?" The Professor pointed out mildly. "They haven't seen you for days."

Ororo's cheeks burned in shame at the blunt statement. The X-Men had been the closest thing to a family that she had ever had until a few days ago. She really hadn't been fair to them since her birth parents had shown up. Suddenly, she felt as if she had abandoned them. "I know." She said softly. "And I do feel terrible about that. I'm sure they're worried and I'm flattered for their concern, but I just really needed this time to…I don't know…get things straightened out. There's just too much going on right now, I feel like I need to focus on one part of my life at a time or I'll just be completely overwhelmed."

"_I_ understand that, and so does Jean." The Professor assured. "But the rest of the team is not gifted with the same abilities we are. They can't feel your mind and know that this separation is what you need."

"Can't you explain it to them?" Storm almost pleaded, an act that was out of character in and of itself. "I'm not ready to deal with them, not with everything else still unresolved. I don't mean to abandon them," She added softly.

The long silence stretched on for many minutes, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Up above, the stars twinkled merrily, as if to mock their insignificant troubles. Ororo finally broke the quiet.

"They want me to go back with them," She blurted suddenly. "My family…They haven't said so yet of course, they're all so paranoid about taking things too fast, but I can tell. Some of the comments they've made, the way they talk about Earth as if it was just a passing phase of my life, they're expecting that when they leave, I'll go with them. To Fearun and Mithril Hall," She paused for a moment before continuing. "Home." Even to her own ears, it sounded as if she was testing out the word to see if it fit.

The Professor was quiet for a long moment. The statement wasn't out of the blue, indeed, he had almost been expecting that Ororo's family insist that she leave with them right away. To his relief, the group seemed more sensible and compassionate than that. They seemed determined to make this whole thing as non-traumatic as possible. Charles Xavier was grateful for that much, but as gently as they were making the transition, as compassionate to Storm's feelings as they were, the fact remained that they had every intention of leaving with one of his brightest and oldest students, and once they had taken her, he wasn't sure when any of the team would see her again. Ultimately it was her choice though, the Professor had to remind himself. If she believes she will be happier with them, than so be it. The thought was painful, but he had no right to keep her from her family if that is where she decided she belonged.

He was burning to ask if she was going to say yes when they asked, but his abilities made the question redundant. He could feel the conflict roiling within her. He realized that, if asked the question that very minute, she would have no answer. She didn't know what she was going to do. It was also unnecessary to point out that the X-Men were here for her, no matter what she chose. She already knew that. The silence stretched on until once more the magic of the night settled over the scene.

Nothing else was said between the two, they simply sat in companionable silence, watching the stars and the moon travel across the sky.

Elsewhere in the mansion

Zaknefein Do'Urden slipped through the shadows as easily as a wraith. Drawing the night around him like a cloak, he slipped through the corridors of his sister's home. His stealth was more out of habit than any real desire not to be seen. As a child, he had always been quiet and graceful in his movements (with his father being Drizzt Do'Urden, how could it be otherwise?), and that natural silence had only been improved with his training both at weapons and as a ranger. His father had been his teacher in both pursuits (though his mother and the other companions of the hall had helped quite a bit with the weapons part) and had mercilessly drilled stealth and silence into his son's head. Zak didn't think he could stomp his feet any more if he tried.

He was somewhat lacking in clear direction this night. He had no mission, no task to complete. He was simply wandering for the sake of wandering; every so often he would stop to closer examine something that caught his interest.

Zak found his sister's adopted world absolutely fascinating. Although he was hardly a child and had seen his fair share of adventuring all across Fearun, he had inherited his parent's wanderlust and the prospect of exploring a new place sent his blood flaming. This world was so different from what he knew, he wanted to learn everything he could while he was here and preserve it in his memory forever. Were that they could stay longer.

Zak didn't know exactly how long it was going to be before they went home, but he had a feeling that the time was fast approaching. Both of his parents, while thoughtful of Ororo's feelings and harboring their own fascination with this world, were beginning to get anxious. They wanted to have Ororo home and wouldn't breathe easily until she was. It was nothing that an outsider would've noticed, and he was sure that Ororo hadn't, but Zak could tell. It was in the little glances they would shoot each other, the way his father would stare out at the horizon or his mother would bite her lip just so. They liked it here, they would happily come and visit again, but they were ready to have their daughter home for the first time in years.

Zak's private musings were cut off as he detected the approach of two people. Having no real desire to suffer their curious stares, he melted deep into the shadows and waited for them to pass, confidant that his training and innate kinship with the night would shield him from the humans' inferior gaze. Once the two rounded the corner into his line of sight, he recognized them as two of his sister's teammates, her team leader and red haired friend (Scott and Jean, he reminded himself). As he expected, the man walked right past him without knowing he was there, but the woman stopped and directly faced the half-drow. "Why are you hiding there?"

Zak felt his face burn all the way to the tips of his ears. She was a telepath, of course, he had known that. _Father would rap my knuckles._ Zak thought to himself wryly before answering the woman.

He shrugged. "Just habit I suppose. Drow are a stealthy race by nature and, though I am only half-drow, it is my nature as well. And my father has taught me enough of it's importance for stealth to be thoroughly ingrained in my actions."

The woman smiled at him while the man's expression did not change. He didn't give the impression of being hostile exactly, but he was watchful and wary. Past the initial introductions, the Do'Urden family and the X-Men hadn't interacted much. Scott just didn't know how to take any of them, and he didn't entirely trust them. It occurred to Zak that there was an opportunity here to break the ice. He had yet to have a lengthy conversation with any of the X-Men, it might be advisable to get to know them a little better while at the same time letting his sister's team become accustomed to the idea of his presence.

The one called Jean apparently had the same idea, because she quickly invited Zak to join them. "We were just headed down to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Interested?"

Zak wasn't really hungry, but it was too good of an opportunity to waste and he quickly agreed. Scott seemed to hesitate and assess the half-drow before he nodded his assent and motioned for Zak to join them in their walk.

"You're Zaknefein right?" Jean asked, seeking to start a conversation.

"Ororo's brother, yes." He replied. "But you can call me Zak, everyone does."

"I actually like Zaknefein." She said. "It sounds much more interesting."

Zak shrugged as if it didn't matter. An awkward silence grew "So how long have you known my sister?" Zak finally asked, seeking some common ground.

The woman smiled. "Scott and I were the Professor's first students, so we've known Storm ever since she got here. Years and years ago, I feel like I've known her my entire life."

She is a sister to Ororo, Zak realized. Perhaps not in flesh, but more like siblings than perhaps Ororo and I will ever be. He felt the familiar stab of pain at the thought of what could have been. So much was stolen and lost forever.

Jean must have sensed his change of mood even if she did not catch his thoughts, because she quickly changed the subject. "So…Storm said that your father and you are rangers?"

"We are." Zak confirmed. "Do you not have such people in your world?"

"I don't know." Jean said. "Not under that name for sure, but they might be called something else. Storm never actually described what a ranger was, so I couldn't tell you." She sent him a hopeful and questioning look.

A grin tugged at Zak's lips. He was proud of his occupation and of his religion and enjoyed speaking of them. He reached into his tunic and drew out his holy symbol. A gift from his grandfather upon the completion of his training, the unicorn's head was made of Mithril and caught the light exquisitely as it dangled from his hand. "My father carries a similar pendant," He started. "Though his is carved of scrimshaw. It denotes us both as followers of the goddess Mielikki, the Lady of the Forest. A ranger is the name given to those who follow the Lady and uphold her principles, those who care for the forest and the natural order, protect it from those who would disrupt that order, and defend those who cannot defend themselves. She demands high morals of her followers." He added. His love for his Goddess was obvious in his voice.

Jean nodded as she absorbed the information. "In that case," She began. "No, I can say in all confidence that we don't have rangers here. We have forest rangers that do sort of the same thing, but theirs is just an occupation, there's no goddess or religion involved. And all they do is protect the forest, they don't do any of that 'defend the weak' stuff you mentioned."

Zak gave a soft smile as he shook his head. "Your world is so different from mine. It's absolutely fascinating."

"I feel the same way about your home." Jean said. "It sounds like something out of a fantasy novel."

Not knowing what a fantasy novel was, Zak didn't have anything to reply to that.

After a quick snack in the kitchen, Jean gave a long stretch and a longer yawn and announced that it was time for her to go to bed and asked if Scott would be joining her.

"I actually think I'm going to work on my car a little." Scott responded. "I'm really not tired yet." He seemed to weigh something in his mind for a moment before turning to the third of their party. "Would you like to come with me?" He asked.

"Come with you? To do what?" Zak asked, taken back.

"You said you were interested in the way things work around here, I just thought you might like to learn a bit about cars."

Zak's eyes shone at the prospect. Ever since these strange horseless wagons were described to him, he had been dying to find out how they worked. He eagerly agreed and waited while Scott turned to put their dishes in the sink. As he passed Jean, Scott leaned down and briefly whispered to her, unaware that Zak could hear his every word. "I still don't know if I trust them or believe them, but at the very least I can try to talk with them. I owe Storm that much."

Zak sighed, this group's trust was hard earned it seemed. Still, he thought that he had just made a good deal of progress in easing tensions. He would likely be the mediator in the coming days he realized. His interest in this new world would allow him to more easily befriend Ororo's teammates and smooth relations between the two groups. Recognizing the potential for him to make this entire situation a good deal easier, he vowed to spend more time with his sister's friends in the coming days. Besides, befriending those whom she thought of as family could only bring Ororo and he closer together. Zak was determined to make up lost time.

A/N: There it is. I wanted to make the easing of tensions really gradual, just because I think that's a more realistic course to take and was trying to think of a way to get them to trust each other without making it seem too rushed or taking up a million chapters. Then I thought that there had to be an intermediary, someone from the Companions who sort of befriends the X-Men. That way I could ostensibly hurry up the granting of trust a bit through that character and still make it seem realistic. At first I was going to use Regis, just because it suits his personality, but then I was reading over a few of my previous chapters and realized that I had hinted that Zak was fascinated with Earth and thought that I could use that as a jumping off point. Anyway, there I go rambling again. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and I hope to hear from you again. Tell me what you think. I especially would like to hear your thoughts on the first part. I tried and tried and I think it's ok now, but it took a lot of work and editing. Any suggestions for improvement are welcome.


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

Wolverine was busy in the danger room, slicing through practice drones at a prodigious rate. To anyone observing, he would look highly focused on his task. His stance perfect, eyes following the drones with intensity, lips pulled back in a snarl. If that same observer could see inside the clawed mutant's mind though (a prospect not nearly as far-fetched as it sounds given Logan's current location), they might have been surprised on how distracted his thoughts actually were.

Giving only the barest attention to his current surroundings, Wolverine's thoughts were far away, on a certain group of guests that were currently above his head in the mansion proper, as well as their supposed daughter who Logan had been calling friend for quite some time. _How is it that everyone's suddenly decided that these people are on the level_? Logan snarled to himself as he sliced anther drone, perhaps using more force than absolutely necessary. _Storm starts gettin' mysterious dreams and then suddenly these guys show up? Doesn't add up. There's gotta be somethin' else goin' on here._

So distracted was he that he didn't even notice a drone on the other side of the room leveling its weapon in his direction. The resulting shot would've left Logan with a painful, if short lived hole through his leg, not to mention giving the other drones a chance to lay their own punishments on the quick healing mutant, had a keen edged blade not sheered through the mindless thing.

Wolverine whirled at the sound of metal on metal, a bit more than surprised that someone could sneak up on him, given his enhanced senses. He was even more surprised when he recognized the identity of his savior.

"Shouldn't you still be in bed?" He asked Drizzt Do'Urden sharply after stopping the simulation, "Everyone else is."

The ranger smiled at the brash mutant, "Most are still in bed," He corrected. "I make a point to watch the sunrise each day, as my circumstance allows."

Wolverine grunted in reply before turning his back on the ranger and returning to a defensive stance, hoping Drizzt would take the hint and leave him to his training. His surprise was even greater when, far from leaving the danger room, the drow drew his other scimitar and moved to stand beside him.

Logan was about to ask what exactly Drizzt thought he was doing, when the drow clearly stated to the air, "Resume simulation." (later Logan would wonder who had taught him the danger room's commands) and Logan suddenly had more to worry about than his unwanted guest.

Wolverine cursed and dove away from his dubious ally. With all the blasts suddenly flying around, he didn't want to be in arm's reach of someone who may or may not be planning on using the resumed simulation to attack him themselves. He need not have worried however, for Drizzt had turned his back on the dangerous mutant, and was fully focused on a group of drones in the far corner of the room. Deciding that the drow had (at least for the moment), no intention of harming him, Logan refocused his attention on the training simulation, watching the ranger out of the corner of his eye.

He was quickly impressed with the dark elf. Drizzt fought with grace and agility, his blades whirling around him so fast that they were mere blurs around his dancing form. Drizzt slashed downward powerfully, splitting a drone, before somersaulting sideways to avoid yet another blast. Coming to his feet, the ranger rushed forward, ziging and zagging in evasive charge before diving forward, Twinkle coming up in a vertical thrust, taking the belly out of another drone.

A close shave of his own reminded Logan that he had his own problems. Deciding that he would rip his friend's so-called 'father' a new one _after_ they were finished the simulation, he quickly turned his full attention on the drones trying to blast him. Ignoring the few, stinging hits that had gotten through during his moment of distraction, Logan leaped into a slashing offensive routine. Swiping at a drone trying to flank his left side, he allowed his momentum to throw him into a roll under the belly of yet another drone (not dissimilar to Drizzt's maneuver only moments before). Stabbing upward, Wolverine reversed direction, throwing the drone impaled on his claws to collide with another trying to sneak up behind him. With his three closest threats dealt with, Wolverine took a moment to pick out his next targets. A satisfied snarl escaped as he saw a group of drones to his right and started for them.

Whether through coincidence or providence, the two superb fighters quickly found themselves in the same corner of the danger room, surrounded by the last of the danger room's drones.

"Back to back!" Drizzt cried as the drones all began to fire at once.

Logan had no practical means to disagree, as not even he could guard himself from all sides at once, and so did not argue when Drizzt moved to stand behind him, facing the opposite way. "Just don't get in my way." He grumbled unhappily.

Although Logan couldn't see it, his words simply caused a smile to grow on the ranger's face. "I don't intend to." Drizzt answered mildly, before turning his attention back to the drones.

It was not long before the rest of the drones were no more than sparking heaps on the floor, leaving the two warriors facing each other once again. Wolverine's profound scowl was matched only by the strength of Drizzt's grin. Tearing his gaze away from that disarming smile, Logan looked around at the devastation that they two had just wrought.

"Not bad." He admitted, not a small thing considering his feelings toward the drow, but Logan was man enough to give credit where credit was due (most of the time).

"You have some talent yourself." Drizzt laughed, looking around as well. "Some would even say that we make a good team."

"I wouldn't go that far." Logan was quick to retort.

Drizzt simply smiled and didn't press the point. Truly he was impressed with the fighting skills of this strange warrior that his daughter called friend. The mutant was agile and well trained without doubt, but also moved with a sort of barely controlled savagery. Drizzt briefly amused himself with the idea of setting Logan on all the orcs of Fearun. Likely none would ever have to worry about the monsters ever again!

After a long and somewhat awkward silence, Logan cleared his throat and retracted his claws. "So," He began. "You down here for a reason or..."

"Truthfully, I heard the blasts and was hoping to put my scimitars to use. It's been far long since the last time I've sparred." Drizzt explained.

"I hear that." Logan snorted, involuntarily relaxing somewhat. "Hard to get someone to take me on, especially this early in the morning."

Drizzt simply smiled again before turning to leave. Breakfast would be soon after all, and both Breunor and Regis became somewhat bad-tempered should their meal be delayed for any reason. He stopped however and turned back to face Logan, who had yet to move. "Perhaps we can properly spar sometime, if you are agreeable?" He offered.

Wolverine stared hard at the drow, considering the offer. His immediate reaction was suspicion, and a large part of him wanted to tell the ranger where he could stuff it. On the other hand, it would feel _really_ good to spar again, properly spar, against something other than mindless drones. _Aww, what the hell? Why not?_

"I'm in here every morning," Logan finally replied, the closest thing to acceptance that Drizzt was likely to get.

The drow nodded, and proceeded to go up for breakfast. Logan turned around to begin another simulation, though his thoughts were far more focused and less angry than before.

Several Days Later

"You mean to say that the people of this world spend hours watching this device?" Zak was incredulous. "I enjoy a good performance as much as the next person, but hours and hours every day seems like a great waste of time."

Bobby (AKA Iceman) chuckled. "Yeah, put that way, I guess it is. Honestly, there are very few shows out there that are actually worth the time. They don't call it the idiot box for nothing."

Zak simply shook his head and labeled the newly introduced te-le-vision as something that was simply beyond his limited understanding. Despite the alien nature of his surroundings, he very much enjoyed learning about his sister's world. This thing called electricity was particularly interesting and made everyday life much more convenient. _It would be very interesting to see if such a thing could be combined with magic to serve even further functions. _Zak thought. He made a mental note to consult Lady Alustriel on the matter. _Perhaps my sister's exile will serve some purpose after all if we can bring home some useful ideas and methods._

Sitting beside the young ranger, Regis apparently did not share in Zak's contempt of this strange device. The halfling's eyes were glued to the screen as if held in some hypnotizing spell. Whatever made this 'idiot box' appealing to the people of his sister's world, Regis obviously shared.

"Incredible." Regis muttered. "If only we could bring one home with us."

Zak laughed. "If we brought one home with us Uncle Regis, you would spend the rest of your life watching it. We'd never see you again!_"_

The Halfling simply shot an irritated look at his 'nephew' before returning his eyes to the screen.

Seeing that he would get nothing further out of Regis, Zak turned his attention to the near-by window and sighed. He would love to be outside, but it had been raining for the last two days (likely an extension of his sister's increasingly dower mood). Stuck indoors and inherently restless at the best of times, Zaknefein was beginning to climb the walls. As fascinating as this place was, he wanted something to do besides sit here and watch the te-le-vision. A chance to train a little would've been welcome, but the danger room was currently being used by his father and the one called Wolverine. After an initially rough meeting, Wolverine and Drizzt had found each other to be capable warriors and a refreshing challenge. For the last few days, one could often find the two in the danger room, trying to beat each other black and blue.

Although Logan would never admit it out loud, even Zak could tell that he was warming up to the group from Faerun. He had even begun to join their family when they told Ororo stories of her home world. Although he claimed to simply be 'making sure none of you are brainwashing her or anything', Wolverine listened to the tales with great intensity. He and Bruenor also seemed to hit it off, being of somewhat similar personalities. Zak was glad. At the beginning, Wolverine had been one of their main opposers. Having him more friendly made the situation easier on many levels.

Hearing soft footsteps behind him, Zak turned to look and saw his sister leaning on the doorframe, watching Bobby and Regis. Excusing himself, the young half-drow went to join her.

"Good morning." She greeted.

Zak nodded in return. The two had become more comfortable with each other in the weeks since their initial meeting. Although there was still a long way to go before they enjoyed the sort of brother-sister relationship that Zak wanted so badly, progress was definitely being made. "Do you want to go for a walk?" He offered. "As interesting as this device is, there is only so much that I can take of it."

"That's an attitude that would probably be very healthy for the world." Ororo smiled softly, falling into step beside him.

The two were quiet for a few moments as they walked. On either side, the inhabitants of the school went about their daily routine, being long since accustomed to the presence of Ororo's strange family. It helped that a great many of the students looked somewhat different themselves. After all, the school was founded on the tenant that any mutant could find a home here, including those with physical mutations. Students soon learned that outside appearances meant very little. Simply walking down the hallway of Xavier's, one could find children with fur, oddly coloured skin, cat's eyes, and even one young woman who had a wealth of fleshy tentacles growing out of her head like so many dreadlocks. In comparison, the group from Fearun looked positively normal.

Zak stole a quick look at his sister as they walked. Although she was outwardly calm, the weather outside betrayed her feelings of conflict and discomfort. In fact, today was quite a bit worse than it had been in the previous week combined. "There is something bothering you." Zak finally got up the nerve to venture.

Ororo didn't say anything for a moment, although a small downturn of her lips betrayed a crack in her emotional armour.

"The sharing of burdens is one of the main functions of siblings." Zak continued, pressing the issue. He met his sister's gaze hopefully.

Ororo's breathe escaped in an explosive sigh. She broke his gaze, looking at the wall as if she had never seen anything quite like it before. Zak was beginning to think that she was going to ignore him when she answered in a soft voice. "They asked me this morning."

Zak frowned in a moment of confusion before her meaning became clear. "You mean mother and father?" He asked. "They asked if you were going to come home with us?"

Ororo simply nodded, not meeting his gaze. She didn't look like someone who was just told that they were going home.

"You…aren't coming, are you?" Zak concluded from her mood. His heart sank. He knew that it was her choice of course, but he had very much been looking forward to having his sister back.

"I never said that." Storm replied quickly. "I want to go home, I do…and Mystra obviously wants me home…but…this world is all I've ever known. I have friends here, a family that I created for myself. How can I leave all that?"

"It's not like it would be forever." Zak pointed out. "Now that Lady Alustriel knows how to locate this world, she could always send you back every now and then. I'm sure you could split your time between the worlds if that's what you really wanted."

Ororo nodded thoughtfully and, for the first time in days, the rain began to slow outside. Zak was grateful that he could make his sister feel better. "And like you said," He continued, "There is Mystra to consider. She sent you here for a reason, and I'm sure that her reasons are good, she is rarely subject to random whim. But now she wants you home, and like when she sent you here, I'm sure that she has a reason. When the Goddess of Magic wants you to do something, it's usually in your best interest to do it."

Zak was ecstatic to hear Ororo let out a soft chuckle. "There is that." She admitted.

The two fell back to silence for several more minutes. "When do they want your answer." Zak dared to ask.

"They aren't pressing me." Ororo replied. "But it'll have to be soon. Lady Alustriel can only be away from her city for so long."

Zak stopped, forcing her to do the same. Taking her by the shoulders, his purple eyes met with her blue ones, and he smiled at her warmly. "I'm not going to tell you what to do." He said. "But whatever you decide, I'm sure it'll be the right choice. And no matter what, I'm really glad to have you for a sister." He paused hesitantly, than for the first time since their meeting, made to embrace his sister in a brotherly hug. To his delight, she did not tense or pull away, but allowed his to hold her and even raised her own arms to return the embrace.

"Thank you Zak." She murmured in his ear. For the first time since coming to this new world, Zaknefien Do'Urden honestly felt that, no matter what happened or what his sister decided to do, everything was going to be alright.

A/N: I know, I know. I said this would be the last chapter, but it didn't work out that way for two reasons. First of all, I needed Wolverine to have somewhat of a camaraderie with Drizzt in order for the finale to work, and that implies time for that relationship to form. And secondly, I thought it would be really mean of me to come back after months of inaction, only to put up one chapter and say 'that's it'. Therefore, you get a bonus chapter. The next one's already ready, I'll put it up in a few days. Tell me what you think. I know it's short, but it's just to ease the tensions between characters a little.

PS: Don't kill me about the beginning, I really suck at writing action scenes.


	14. Chapter 13

A/N: A little later than promised, but here it is. As always, I own nothing.

That night, for the first time in weeks, Storm dreamt of Mystra. Unlike her previous dreams however, there was no fog, no leading voice. Ororo simply laid her head down on the pillow, and then she was on that same bench. The trees, dressed in glorious gold and amber, stood with their leaves rustling softly. The moist air smelled of fall. Turning her head, she was somehow unsurprised that the blue gowned goddess was again seated beside her, regarding her with a warm smile.

"Hello again Ororo." She greeted. "How are things working out with your family so far?"

Storm regarded Mystra closely before answering. "We have begun to mend old wounds." She said at length. "But the scars haven't entirely faded."

"No," Mystra agreed. "That will take longer than the mere few weeks you have been given. And I will give you warning that some of those scars may never entirely fade, but they will grow less prominent. And perhaps the time will come where they have ceased to be painful and are simply a part of you, the same as your powers or your memories are."

"You didn't bring me here to ask question you already know the answers to." Ororo suddenly pressed, not really in the mood for idle conversation. "You want to convince me that I should go home with my family."

Mystra did not deny the charge. "Is one's home not usually also the location of one's family?" She asked.

"Unless that person hasn't been 'home' since her earliest days." Ororo shot back without missing a beat. She grew more agitated. "Unless that person has made a different life for herself elsewhere, a life separate from her family."

"You sound as if you are trying to convince yourself more than convincing me." Mystra pointed out calmly.

Storm didn't answer, but turned away, looking straight ahead and refusing to meet Mystra's eyes. Her thoughts were conflicted, as they had been since that morning when her parents had finally found the nerve to ask the dreaded question.

How could she leave? How could she not? How could she choose one family over the other? Both had been good to her, it was no fault of her birth family that she was stolen that fateful night. There was also, of course, the fact that she felt she was abandoning the X-Men. The world was in turmoil over the existence of mutants; there were so many people who suffered for simply being what they were. How could she abandon those people to live in relative safety in the world of her birth? What kind of coward did that make her?

"I'm doing so much good where I am." Ororo finally said. "It feels wrong to abandon that. Shouldn't I stay where I can make the most difference?"

"And how do you know that this world is where you would be making the most difference?" Mystra asked with some amusement. "Have you suddenly gained the ability to see into the future?"

Ororo looked sharply at the being beside her. "Why do you care?" She asked suddenly, exasperated. "You're the Goddess of Magic, why do you care about what happens to me and what I choose? You've gone to a lot of trouble for the sake of a whim."

Mystra said nothing.

"Zak says I should come back with them simply because you want me to." Storm continued. "He says that you wouldn't interfere like this without a really good reason."

Mystra considered the half-drow beside her. "I have plans for you." She finally admitted. "But I can't do anything about those plans if you're still on Earth. In any case, you belong with your family."

"Is that an order then?" Ororo asked sarcastically.

"You can take it as such if it gets you back to Fearun." Mystra said with a smile.

Storm was quiet for a long moment. "What if I don't want to go?" She almost whispered.

Mystra's expression was not unsympathetic. "Sometimes we must all do things that we would rather not. You were a thief in your earlier years, yes? You should know this better than most." Taking in the young woman's disconsolate expression, Mystra relented. "However, I do not believe that this is one of these times."

Ororo looked at the Goddess questioningly.

"Since the moment your mother asked you to come home, you have wondered whether you should stay or go." Mystra explained. "You have tormented yourself, wondering if you will be happy there, whether you will regret going if you do. These are the wrong questions I believe. Instead, I will ask you this, will you be happy if you stay? Will you be able to go back to the way things were Ororo Do'Urden? Will you be able to pass these few weeks off as some sort of pleasant dream, and go about life as if nothing has changed? Or will you always regret not going, and wonder what your life would be like had you returned at your family's side? Can you dismiss this opportunity Ororo Do'Urden?"

Ororo said nothing for a long moment. And when she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper. "No."

Mystra smiled a gentle smile, but one that was filled with triumph all the same.

* * *

Jean found Storm packing the next morning. In the midst of folding a shirt and placing it in the open suitcase on her bed, Storm had turned around to see her friend standing in the doorway. With deliberate calmness, the half-drow finished packing the shirt before turning fully to face her friend.

"The rumours are true then." Jean stated calmly, although an underlying current of emotion could be clearly heard in her voice. "You're really leaving."

Storm just nodded. By all that was good in the world, this was difficult. She and Jean had known each other for years. They had been some of the Professor's first students. They had grown up together. In all ways that truly counted, Jean was Storm's sister.

"Does the Professor know?"

Storm nodded again. "He knew from the moment I woke up this morning." She answered. "I'll tell everyone else after breakfast."

The red haired mutant was silent.

"I have to do this Jean." Storm continued, her tone almost begging the red-head to understand. "You have been family to me; you, Scott and the Professor. You have been better family than you'll ever know, but I have to do this. I'll never be able to forgive myself if I don't." Ororo's voice nearly broke at the end and she turned to look out the window. In her mind, she remembered the first time she had seen this room, how the Professor had opened the door for her, how he had directed her attention to these very same windows. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"This place." She whispered, not meeting Jean's eyes. "This house, will always be my first home. And you will always be my first family, even if now I have others as well." She finally worked up the nerve to meet her friend's eyes. "I...will miss you all very much." She admitted.

Jean immediately crossed the distance between them to envelop Storm in a warm embrace, which Ororo did not resist. "We'll miss you too." Jean whispered, than gave a shaky laugh. "This place won't be the same without you, you know."

"I'll come back to visit." Ororo promised.

Jean nodded, pushing Storm back to arm's reach. "You'll always be welcome here." She assured. "You're as much a part of this place as any of us."

Consciously clearing her throat and wiping her eyes, Jean backed away from her friend. "Anyways," She said, changing the subject. "I should probably let you get back to packing. Breakfast will be ready in about 20 minutes." With that, the telepath/telekinetic left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Ororo sighed, then turned back to her suitcase, somewhat emotionally drained from what would be the first, but surely not the last tearful goodbye before her family left.

The impromptu meeting after breakfast between the X-Men and the group from Fearun was a bittersweet affair. The Do'Urdens were delighted by their daughter's decision, but were also well aware that Ororo's coming home meant tearful goodbyes for all those who had become her family here. For their part, the X-Men were decidedly less happy with the current turn of events. They were, of course, happy that Storm was happy, but also looked at the prospect of the Xavier Institute without the weather witch with decidedly less enthusiasm.

"When will you go?" Scott finally asked, the first words he had said since Ororo had revealed her decision. It was the Lady Alustriel who answered.

"As soon as possible." She said somewhat regretfully. ``There is no reason for us to delay any longer, and I personally have tarried here far too long. My city will not govern itself."

"Aye," Bruenor agreed. "Much as we'd like to be stayin', it's long past time we were gettin' home." The dwarven king looked to his granddaughter. "Tomorrow morning give ye enough time to get packed up girl?"

Ororo nodded.

"Tomorrow morning it is." Bruenor decided, directing the answer towards Scott and the Professor. "An' speakin' of packing up, the rest of us should go do the same." With that, the group from Fearun got up and left, Wulfgar closing the door softly behind them.

Ororo looked at the X-Men remaining. "It is not forever." She promised after a long silence. "Lady Alustriel has promised me that transportation between worlds doesn't take so very much effort. I'll be back."

Somehow, her pleading assurance didn't exactly have the desired effect. If anything, Scott's scowl grew deeper and Rogue looked suspiciously like she was blinking back tears. Logan's expression didn't change. The clawed mutant simply stood in the corner behind the Professor with his arms crossed and unreadable expression on his face.

Of all the people in the room, only the Professor's expression displayed no emotion. "You're absolutely certain that this is what you want?" He asked at length.

Ororo looked at the man who had become like a father to her, the man whose cause she was about to abandon. "It is." She said almost apologetically.

A small smile made its way onto Xavier's face. He guided his chair forward and took one of Ororo's hands into his own. "As long as you are sure," He said equally softly. "Then I am happy for you. We all are." He gestured to the gathered mutants. He gave Storm's hand a squeeze before releasing it and his smile grew. "Go and pack Storm. Tomorrow morning will be here before you know it."

With that, the improvised meeting ended. The X-Men trickled out one by one, each stopping to give their soon to depart teammate with an embrace and a word of encouragement. Logan however, stomped out almost immediately, not bothering to stop to talk to anyone. Although no one in the room was really surprised at his actions, the Professor looked after his most troublesome student with a strange expression on his face.

* * *

While the Companions of the Hall had made some tentative friendships with the X-Men during their stay, Lady Alustriel had done something similar with the Professor. Each found the other to be a fascinating conversationalist and, at times, a stimulating debating partner. Alustriel was especially interested in mutants and their quest for acceptance, and she and the Professor had spent many hours discussing Xavier's ultimate dream, as well as the nature of mankind to resist change. The Professor, of course, was fascinated by this powerful and beautiful being who effortlessly commanded any room she walked into. The force of her presence alone was formidable, and her sharp mind and sharper wit gave their discussions life and challenge that he had not enjoyed since Eric had gone his own way. So, as had become their evening custom, the Professor and Lady met in his study after supper, each nursing a cup of hot tea.

"The weather is better than it's been in weeks." The Professor ventured, gazing out the window to the clear and cloudless sky. "Ororo must be in a much better mood."

The temperature was still somewhat below normal, but the day had been sunny for once, and the students had fully capitalized on the opportunity to be outside. Against the light of the setting sun, he could see several students getting in a late game of basketball, while many others were simply lying on the grass. He could see Scott watching from a short distance away, making sure that nothing got out of control.

"You shouldn't take that personally." The Lady pointed out from her position on the couch. "Storm is not more at ease because she is leaving, but simply because she has finally decided one way or the other. There is a peace that comes with making up one's mind, even if one knows that the decision they have made will cause great sorrow."

"I wasn't taking offense." The Professor objected mildly. "She has made her choice, and despite the fact that I might wish differently, I believe it is the right one. She has been separated from her natural family for far too long."

"We will take good care of her." Alustriel assured.

The Professor smiled and turned back to the silver haired woman on his couch. "Of that dear lady, I have no doubt." He tapped his forehead meaningfully. "I do not, as a habit, pry, but there are some things that I can't help overhearing, no more than anyone could ignore someone shouting in their ear. I know first-hand how much you care for Storm. It is one of the reasons I am so amiable to her choice."

Guiding his chair beside the reclining ruler of Silverymoon, the Professor took another sip of his rapidly cooling tea. "It is my hope." He began after a moment. "That Storm will find an easier life in the world of her birth than this one has offered her. I understand, from her father's testimony, that her heritage is frowned upon. But, as a mutant, she is used to being judged on things that she can't control, and I understand that her father's efforts have somewhat dulled that prejudice. Perhaps in the place of her birth, where different races are commonplace, she can find a wider acceptance than any of us can currently hope to find here."

"She will be accepted." The Lady assured. "She need only mention her father's name and many gates in the Northland will open. I can personally guarantee that she will always be welcomed in my city, and the dwarves of Mithril Hall will treat her as one of their own."

It was Alustriel's turn to gaze out the window. "So many talented youth." She murmured, looking at the basketball game, which had quickly degenerated into general free for all, with both sides cheating with their powers. "It's so strange to me that they are hated when they have so much potential. The drow are hated because they have done evil things, but these children have done nothing. In our own world, such children would be cherished."

Xavier gave her an odd look.

"I thought you didn't pry as a habit." Lady Alustriel commented dryly.

"I don't." The Professor responded. "I don't have to read your mind to tell what you're thinking, but running away isn't the answer. You think that mutants should abandon this world in favour of yours, but new mutants would still be born here, they would still be hated. This fight can't be won by running away."

"Your place is here." Alustriel agreed readily. "As is your team's, but what about them." The silver haired woman waved her hand expressively at the window. "They didn't ask for this. They don't want to be part of your fight. After all, isn't that why you made this place, for them to be safe and not live in fear?" Lady Alustriel's beautiful eyes were intense as she regarded her friend. "Let those who wish to fight for acceptance stay, but shouldn't the children at least be given the right to grow up in peace?"

The Professor rubbed his hand over his face and fell into thoughtful silence. This wasn't the first time that they had had this discussion, or one close to it, and the Lady made several excellent points. However, if the mutant population in general were given the option to leave, he knew what the majority of them would choose. Some would stay and fight, but most would go. Mutants would remain rare, and in their rarity, they would never gain acceptance. The only way for mutants to become accepted was for them to become common place, and that could never happen if most ran away to live in Fearun. Besides, there was always the unexpected side effects of what merging two worlds on such a grand scale would do to Ororo's home world. No one knew what such a sudden influx of 'gifted' individuals might have, even in a world where such gifts were more common. No, the Professor decided. The place for mutants was here.

However, the Lady raised an interesting point about the children. Many were traumatized and damaged from their harsh upbringing. Perhaps Fearun could instead be used as a sort of rehabilitation option, the Professor mused, where the most traumatized could be sent to recover before returning to Earth.

"There may be something to what you say." Xavier admitted. "But perhaps not on the scale which you're thinking of, and in any case, we will discuss the details later. In the meantime." He said, changing the subject to something a bit more light hearted. "I believe that last night you were recalling some of your sister, Dove's, adventures when Scott interrupted us. I would very much like to hear the rest of the story."

The two stayed up perhaps later than they should have talking. But after all, the Lady would be leaving in the morning, and neither knew when they would have another chance for such stimulating company.

* * *

They all gathered outside after breakfast the next morning, as Lady Alustriel would need more room for her spell than any space save maybe the Danger Room could offer. The Companions all had their bags packed and slung over their shoulders, but there were also a number of larger bags laid out on the lawn beside them, belonging to Ororo. Storm, likely due to her years in Cairo, had never really accumulated much in the way of possessions, but it still took several well-sized bags to fit all her things. Taking one last look over the grounds and mansion, the dark skinned woman once again felt tears filling her eyes. Blinking rapidly, she walked apart from her new family to say her goodbyes to the old. Her birth family, to their credit, simply watched and waited patiently.

Jean and Rogue both had streams of tears running down their faces as they embraced their friend. "You'll come back to visit, right?" The younger mutant almost pleaded. "I mean, the Lady over there said that you could."

Ororo forced a smile and gently brushed Rogue's hair from her face, being very careful not to come into contact with the younger mutant's skin. "I'll come back." She assured. "Maybe for Christmas, alright?"

Rogue nodded with a sniffle and stepped back, obviously trying to compose herself.

The Professor, meanwhile, had been waiting patiently in the background for his turn. Goodbyes said to everyone else, Ororo turned to her surrogate father and, after a moment's hesitation, threw her arms around him in a rare display of pure emotion. "I'm going to miss you all so very, very much." She murmured softly.

"I know you will." Xavier answered equally as softly. "And we'll miss you as well." He reached up to stroke her white hair. "This is the right thing to do Storm, the right decision...I'm so very proud of you."

Drawing back, Storm cleared her throat and looked around for the last time. Her teammates all had misty eyes, but there were more than a few smiles there as well. No further words could have possibly expressed their affection and support for her as well as those smiles. Looking around though, Ororo felt a frown find its way onto her face. There was a noticeable absence in the crowd. Raising a questioning eyebrow, she turned to the Professor.

"He's coming." The Professor assured before she could ask. "Logan said that there was something he had to do this morning before you left."

The words were hardly out of his mouth when they heard the front door slam and the burly Canadian mutant came stomping over the lawn towards them. To Ororo's surprise, however, he didn't stop at the teary eyed group, but walked right past them to where the Companions were waiting. Dropping the heavy bag he had been carrying beside Ororo's luggage, Wolverine turned to his gaping teammates. "So, we goin' or what?" He asked brusquely.

Ororo turned an astonished look at the Professor, who was smiling faintly. From the Companions, Drizzt broke the stunned silence. "You're coming with us?" He asked curiously.

Logan shrugged. "Someone's got to make sure you guys are on the level. This turns out to be some big hoax, I'll feel a lot better knowing that Storm'll have me around to help her at least. Besides..." He continued, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "...This Fearun sounds like my kind of place. These dwarves and me will get along just fine. And no one over there will get excited if I kill some dirtbag that had it comin' in the first place." An almost feral grin made its way onto his face. "In fact...from what I hear, that sort of justice is encouraged."

"Orcs and scoundrels beware." Wulfgar murmured quietly. "Logan is coming."

Bruenor snorted. "They won't know what hit 'em." He laughed.

Ororo lingered with the X-Men for several more minutes but, finally exhausting any reason to delay, she shared one last sorrowful gaze with her teammates, and walked over to join her family and Logan. Although she would never admit it out loud, she was secretly glad that Logan would be coming with her. Abrasive and aggressive he might be, but he was familiar. At the very least, she could keep this one slice of her adopted home. Even if all else around her was strange and foreign, there would be this.

Meeting gazes, Logan gave Storm a wild and excited smile and, despite herself, Storm couldn't help but feel that excitement as contagious. The sorrow was still there, but there was also the thrill of exhilaration that comes with willingly throwing oneself into the unknown. In the background, she could hear the Lady begin her spell, and Ororo broke Logan's gaze just in time to see the X-Men and the mansion disappear in a flash of light.

After many years, many hardships, and many lessons learned, Ororo Do'Urden was going home.

A/N: That's it! It's done! My very first multichapter fic is completed! Thank you to everyone that read and reviewed. I can't tell you how much I appreciated all the feedback.


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